Calling all characters!

This year’s annual Meredith’s Miracles Cookies with Character event is growing, and help is needed to make it one of the best ever, Executive Director Kiley Spears said.

“Attendance in years past has been tremendous, but we wanted to make sure everyone had an opportunity to come. This year, we’ve added a Sunday show, which means there are three opportunities to get in on the fun.”

There are 80 characters in each show with more than 150 volunteer opportunities. Auditions are open to those in the eighth grade and up and  will be held at the former Ansley Place location at 1214 East Three Notch Street on:

• Jan. 8, 14 and 15 from 4-8 p.m., and

• Jan. 9 and 16 from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

“Auditions are conducted on a come-as-you-go basis, so you don’t have to stay the entire time that day,” Spears said. “We do ask that you be patient as we go through auditions. It can get a little crowded.

“If you’ve never auditioned before, don’t be nervous,” she said. “Auditions are very laid back. We just want to see your personality and how you look in the costumes. We need as many people possible.”

This year’s event will be held on Feb. 23 and 24 in the Andalusia Kiwanis Building. Doors open for Saturday’s shows at 11 a.m.and 4 p.m., and on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Characters should also be available to be at the event all day on Saturday and Sunday from 1-6 p.m.

Spears said the addition of the Sunday show wasn’t the only exciting news about this year’s event.

“This year, we are proud to announce our partnerships with area school systems to recognize all of our students’ hard work at this event by allowing them to earn not only community service hours, but also be award the ‘Meredith’s Miracles Miracle Maker Award,” she said.

Spears said the new program will recognize each volunteer student with a certificate on their awards day.

“This will help students meet their community service requirements and build their college resume,” she said. “But that wasn’t enough for us. We wanted to go one step further and really recognize those students who go the extra mile, so we created the Miracle Maker Award. At the end of their senior year, these volunteers with 100-or-more hours will receive a medal as our way of saying ‘thank you’ for their service.”

For more information about auditions or the Cookies with Characters event, contact Spears at 334-427-5321 or email at info@meredithsmiracles.org.