The Shuswap Rotary Club’s recent fundraising dinner surpassed all expectations.
“We’re all shocked,” says auction chair Mike Boudreau.
The fundraising evening on Nov. 14, which included dinner, a silent and live auction as well as entertainment, raised $80,000.
“People were in a good mood,” he said of the generous crowd. “Jim (Grieve) did a good job of educating people on the good we’re doing in the community and around the world. I guess we had a number of people in the room willing to connect their heart to their wallet.”
He said businesses in the community were also generous with auction donations, and the experiential packages – such as dinners and outings – were popular.
“We’re really grateful to the business community… It’s an amazing community we live in.”
Rotary member James Johnson provided the entertainment, which included having people walk over broken glass – and no blood was shed.
People had the opportunity to contribute to specific projects, Boudreau explained, such as the school lunch program in five local schools, a lunch program in a school in Kenya, and more.
Internationally, Shuswap Rotary support also includes an Ecuador dental mission, a Rotary exchange student, Nepal earthquake relief and polio eradication.
Locally, the club provides volunteers for a number of events including the Canada Children’s Festival, the fall fair and the loppet.
The club is working on initiatives such as the hospice/palliative care centre and a performing arts centre.
Many Shuswap Rotary donations to community programs include the LASS Spelling Bee, the Ross Street mural and the Salmon Arm art gallery.