KENNEWICK -- A Mardi Gras celebration and an art auction in Kennewick helps benefit the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center.

    Artists and Community members gathered at the Country Gentleman in Kennewick. Tri-City Artists, also known as the "509 Artists," decorated and donated over 25 masks for the event. World Famous Auctioneer, Scott Musser, was the auctioneer for the evening. The benefit raised $11,000 dollars Tuesday night.

    The Hanford Reach's Campaign Manager, Davin Diaz says, "This is the first time we've put on an event like this. It's a good start for a foundation to build on."

    The Reach will be a 61,000 square foot facility located at Columbia Point South in Richland. The Reach will have programs and exhibitions interpreting the rich history of the Mid-Columbia Region. Key themes include the Hanford Reach National Monument, the Ice Age Floods, local Native American cultures, early settlement of the region, local flora and fauna, environmental stewardship, and the Manhattan Project.