This June, for the third year in a row, the Langley based Sister Island Project will take volunteers to the Dominican Republic for cultural exchange and service activities. For two or four weeks, volunteers exchange the comfort of the familiar for the tropical heat and Afro-Caribbean culture of the Yabacao region of the Dominican Republic.

To help fund the work volunteers will do on that trip, Sister Island Project is hosting a fundraising dinner auction at China City in Freeland Saturday. This year, the organization will start building a learning center in Yabacao, birthplace of Victoria Santos, Sister Island Project’s director.

The Yabacao region, populated mostly by Dominicans of African descent and second-generation Haitians, is extremely poor, according to Santos. Her organization is working to build a school that will meet basic educational needs, provide vocational direction and skills, and address the many needs present in a Third World Caribbean nation.

To make the project happen, Sister Island purchased land for the building and is ready to start construction this June.

At Saturday’s dinner auction, those attending the event will be able to bid on goods and services while enjoying a Chinese dinner. Local band Azul will provide the entertainment with a mix of latin, jazz, and blues. Radio bluesman Clancy Dunigan will host the evening and call for bids.

Local businesses, artists, service providers and other donors have given items for the live auction, including an overnight for two at Semiahmoo Seaside Resort, original fine art, a Cajun Creole festival cooking class for 12 with with Chef Tom French, gym memberships and yoga classes and Sonics tickets.