Magic is coming to Murray for a good cause. On Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Murray High School auditorium, magician Mike Hamilton will use his talents of magic and illusion to raise money to support Hope Worldwide Utah’s refugee efforts.

This evening will feature, in addition to a one-hour magic show by Hamilton, a presentation highlighting the work of Hope Worldwide Utah’s humanitarian teams. They have served in refugee camps around the world and are planning a trip to Adana, Turkey in November 2017. 

Hamilton, according to his website, was a 2009 Utah Best of State award winner and has performed throughout the United States for more than 15 years.  He travels with Hope Worldwide Utah performing for refugee camps in Greece and Turkey.

All proceeds from this fundraiser support the mission of Hope Worldwide Utah. Specifically, for their upcoming November 19–28 humanitarian trip, 80 percent of the proceeds will provide basic necessities for five refugee camps near Adana. The remaining 20 percent will support projects helping refugee families that have relocated to Utah.  

In 2016, nearly 150,000 refugees from Syria flocked to Adana. The city, situated 22 miles inland from the Mediterranean, is the fifth most populous city in Turkey. It also sits near the Syrian border, and refugee camps outside the city have been set up for exiles of the war-torn region. 

In April of this year, Hope Worldwide Utah joined forces with other nonprofits in Oinofyta, Greece, supporting several refugee camps around the Athens area. In Greece, more than one million refugees have traveled through the country in the past year, with over 50,000 remaining in refugee camps.

Hope Worldwide Utah is a Salt Lake City based non-profit organization dedicated to serving underprivileged people around the globe with an emphasis on orphaned children and refugees. The organization also recruits people to join international humanitarian missions and, according to their website, “believes in providing individuals the opportunity to experience uplifting and life changing humanitarian expeditions at a fraction of the cost.”

For the fundraising event, general admission seating is $20 in the Murray High auditorium, provided on a first-come, first-served basis. VIP seats are $35 and will be assigned and limited to 100 seats at the front of the auditorium. Tickets are transferable but not refundable, and can be purchased in advance at https://register.growtix.com/e/magic_show_fundraiser_for_refugees_2017.

Those who cannot attend but wish to make a donation, or are interested in Hope Worldwide Utah’s volunteer opportunities, can visit their website at http://www.hopeworldwideutah.org./