COEUR d'ALENE - For 19 years, Jeff Cheeseborough has served as a chaplain to youths who find themselves in the Kootenai County Juvenile Detention Center.

Through his efforts, more than 80,000 young people have received guidance and support. Cheeseborough has also personally mentored more than 13,000 young men and women during the course of his accumulated 31,797 hours of service.

When the majority of funding was cut for a county chaplain four years ago, Cheeseborough was unfazed; he continued to serve in the same capacity. Through an annual fundraiser, sponsored by Candlelight Christian Fellowship, members of the community have donated money to supplement the income Cheeseborough lost.

On Friday at 6 p.m., the church will once again host a fundraiser dinner at The Coeur d'Alene Resort. Proceeds from the meal will go directly toward supporting Cheeseborough in his efforts to mentor youths at the detention center.

Sheriff Ben Wolfinger, who will be the keynote speaker at the dinner, told The Press that the services Cheeseborough provides to youth at the juvenile detention center are unique.

"He is able to intercede in the lives of young people as not an authoritarian or parental figure, but one who can help direct young people to the right path," Wolfinger said. "Obviously they have made a choice or choices that have gotten them off that path, or they would not be in the detention center."

Wolfinger added he will speak to attendees about the importance of the work Cheeseborough does in the community, as well as the issue of crime committed by youths in the county.

"I hope to share the idea that good people can have children who make bad choices, bad people don't always have bad kids and sometimes someone from the outside needs to intercede to make a difference," Wolfinger said. "That is Jeff's role."

Attendees will also hear from Cheeseborough himself and testimonies from the young people he has served. For more information on the event, or to reserve a table, contact Kim Phillips at (208) 772-7755.

"We talk a lot about crime prevention, but we don't spend a great deal of time talking about crime intervention," Wolfinger said. "I think that people who are interest in helping to correct the problem with crime and juveniles would be particularly interested in supporting this endeavor."