LinkedIn is a social networking site (http://www.linkedin.com/) where you can post a question and people respond with their comment - below is a series of responses which make for interesting reading:
Initial Question:
Please tell me your club location (city, state) and what type of event was held. Who was involved and what did you think of the experience. Is this is something that you club adopted as an annual event? Of course if you are overseas, pls state the name of the country. Thanks!
These are the responses from Rotarians
• We start our year with no events planned, since over time, our best events' owners have moved on. So we are challenged, and I look forward to seeing what pops up here.
• Twin Bridges Rotary, Halfmoon NY, USA - we hold an annual Karaoke contest. Offer cash price for 1st, 2nd and 3rd - charge a fixed price and include a buffet dinner and cash bar along with a silent auction and 50/50 tickets. Our biggest fundraiser by far and a good time is always had by all! This will be our 5th year doing it.
• For us it's an annual golf day. We're lucky to live in an area that is considered Golfers Paradise due to the many golf courses we have in our vicinity. Our club has its annual charity golf day at Kingston Heath Golf Club which is one of the premier golf clubs. Luckily we don't need to advertise as registrations close very quickly due to interest and demand, and it is our major fundraiser.
• Paul - I hope we get some more awesome replies in addition to Melissa and Helen so that everyone may benefit.
• Gettysburg, PA. We have our annual pasta dinner, and then sponsor a professional performance by an entertainer at our local theater.
• Gettysburg, PA. We have our annual pasta dinner, and then sponsor a professional performance by an entertainer at our local theater.
• The Schaumburg AM RC, Schaumburg, Illinois USA host two events. We used to have an art auction fundraiser, but as interest dwindled we replace that with "Date Night". We hold a dinner and auction fundraiser on the Saturday of Valentine's Day weekend. Attendees also receive a discounted rate for an over night stay at the hotel. It will have it's own Website.
Our other fundraiser is a "Night at the Flyers". The Schaumburg Flyers is a minor league baseball team. This will be the second year for this event. Money raised goes to Polio Plus. The event serves to highlight our club, Rotary, and Polio Plus. Our district governor is supporting district wide participation. Each club will receive Polio Plus recognition for the tickets they sell. As we are a modern progressive club, embracing technology, this event has its own Website: https://www.rotarynight.org/
Our other fundraiser is a "Night at the Flyers". The Schaumburg Flyers is a minor league baseball team. This will be the second year for this event. Money raised goes to Polio Plus. The event serves to highlight our club, Rotary, and Polio Plus. Our district governor is supporting district wide participation. Each club will receive Polio Plus recognition for the tickets they sell. As we are a modern progressive club, embracing technology, this event has its own Website: https://www.rotarynight.org/
• The Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield has had a series of "ethnic" dinners, with food prepared by Chicago Area ethnic groups and proceeds used to support international service projects important to those groups. Most dinners have been Vietnamese food, with proceeds helping to build a library for an orphanage in Vietnam. Our first dinners were held in members homes- as this became more popular, we've moved to larger venues.
We have a Jamaican dinner this Sunday (here's a flier: http://www.clubrunner.ca/Data/6440/2417/HTML/96272//cbcdc815-1804-4d41-ba33-642637397198.pdf ), with proceeds going to purchase computers and related equipment for a rural elementary school that's supported by volunteers from North Eastern Illinois University. With the equipment, students will "publish" books they write and exchange them via email with Chicago Public school students.
These have been very popular and low cost, as cooking is done by volunteers.
We have a Jamaican dinner this Sunday (here's a flier: http://www.clubrunner.ca/Data/6440/2417/HTML/96272//cbcdc815-1804-4d41-ba33-642637397198.pdf ), with proceeds going to purchase computers and related equipment for a rural elementary school that's supported by volunteers from North Eastern Illinois University. With the equipment, students will "publish" books they write and exchange them via email with Chicago Public school students.
These have been very popular and low cost, as cooking is done by volunteers.
• Dear Rich,
I hear you. Catering sometimes cuts the profit out of an event. We did a BBQ Bluegrass event and I think a good percentage went to the caterer.
That's a great idea. I think feeding people is a major variable in the equation when holding an event. I know it doesn't have to be but it does attract a crowd. Thank you for your comments.
• Orofino, Idaho
We operate the Food Booth at the county fair and 4th of July celebration. Also have a Crab Feed for the community - Rotarians do all the work. There is never any need for a caterer.
I hear you. Catering sometimes cuts the profit out of an event. We did a BBQ Bluegrass event and I think a good percentage went to the caterer.
That's a great idea. I think feeding people is a major variable in the equation when holding an event. I know it doesn't have to be but it does attract a crowd. Thank you for your comments.
• Orofino, Idaho
We operate the Food Booth at the county fair and 4th of July celebration. Also have a Crab Feed for the community - Rotarians do all the work. There is never any need for a caterer.
• We run an annual artshow with over 600 paintings exhibited, with over 10% of the paintings sold this is our best fundraiser of the year.
Our next best fundraiser would be operating our BBQ trailer at various community events.
Our next best fundraiser would be operating our BBQ trailer at various community events.
• Two social events have been very successful for our club, though we do not always do each every year. We have a "mystery ride" where Rotarians and their partners take a bus to an undisclosed location, typically an hour's drive, where they arrive at a great restaurant with entertainment. The only persons who know the destination are the social committee chair and the bus driver. During the ride to the restaurant, we enjoy drinks and appetizers on the bus. The other event, which is more work for our members but also fun, is an international dinner. The committee for the event picks a country, and all the food reflects that country's cuisine. We Rotarians cook and serve, sell tickets to members and non-members. Usually have 100 to 125 attendees. Neither of these is a fundraiser.
(My country is USA, New England area.)
(My country is USA, New England area.)
• We have moved from a small club that tried to do many events to a club that focuses on three main events. We do a Mexican Fiesta (inaugural in 2009) to raise money for a Mexican school for children with Down syndrome and their care givers.
thon where kids at the Strathcona Community Centre raise money by shooting hoops and our other main event is the Yearly Christmas party for the West End Seniors an event that the Sr's start planning on attending on their way back from the event. We serve about 350 to 425 Sr's.
I am with the Vancouver Sunrise Rotary Club in Vancouver.
We also do a Guess who's coming for dinner where three members of the club will host 2 or 3 other couples, but no one knows who will attend their dinner. Its a great way to get to know your members.
thon where kids at the Strathcona Community Centre raise money by shooting hoops and our other main event is the Yearly Christmas party for the West End Seniors an event that the Sr's start planning on attending on their way back from the event. We serve about 350 to 425 Sr's.
I am with the Vancouver Sunrise Rotary Club in Vancouver.
We also do a Guess who's coming for dinner where three members of the club will host 2 or 3 other couples, but no one knows who will attend their dinner. Its a great way to get to know your members.
• We were fortunate enough to be recognized by District 5950 for our 1st annual event, "Service Matters: A celebration of service – An invitation to join." It was a fun informal social/educational event. We used a combination of RI resources, audience participation, service recognition, real stories, and community support to celebrate the Ideal of Service and to Drive Membership. We added three new members directly from the event. I can send further details if you request them.
• I'd love to hear more about it! That sounds fabulous!
• Wow! I am very pleased to hear all of your posts recently. I hope that other Rotary members are reading what all of you have been posting. These are ALL great events and I will try to pass them on.
• Rotary Club Aberdeen Deeside - Scotland 1010. One of our successful events that we have been running for several years is an art event. This is where we get a local well known artist to paint or draw a picture in front of an audience over a period of about two hours. During this time the artist explains what he/she is doing and takes questions from the floor. The work in progress is thrown up onto a giant screen so that an audience of approx 300 can see in detail what is happening. And at the end of the evening the painting is auctioned off.
• Rotary Club of Wellesley, MA. Our biggest annual fundraiser is a Pancake Festival that we co-host with the little league in our town. We run the operation, the little leaguers and their families sell the tickets. The event is held at the high school cafeteria, and it's one of the signature activities during a town-wide family weekend.
• We just had our first golf outing for the Delta-Waverly Rotary Club and it was a tremendous success! We will definitely be having this as an annual event. Great participation by our members and the community.
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