Events
Our three main fundraisers provide members with the opportunity to volunteer their time for worthy causes. These events have proven to be highly successful and with the help of sponsors, donors and the St. Catharines community, we are able to reach our fundraising goals to support worthwhile projects both locally and globally.
St. Catharines Rotary RibFest
The Rotary Ribfest, Niagara’s biggest and best summer festival and one of our major fundraisers takes place every Civic Holiday weekend (first weekend in August) in Montebello Park, St. Catharines. Attended annually by approximately 5,000 visitors, the RibFest is built around a number of "ribbers" from the US and Canada who sell thousands of pounds of ribs and chicken. Admission to the park is free and the event also includes live music, a large area with activities for kids as well as a number of crafters and vendors.
A core committee of about twenty Rotarians take on roles such as Entertainment, Sponsorship, Site, Marketing and Promotion and Vendors. As a major fundraiser for our club, all Rotarians are asked to assist either before the event or as a volunteer at the event. This is a fun community event which raises the awareness of Rotary in the region and raises an average of $85,000 annually to support our Rotary projects both locally & around the world.
Golf Tournament
The Rotary Club of St. Catharines continues its longstanding support of the Niagara Children’s Centre through its annual golf tournament held each June.
The Centre has received more than $400,000 from the tournament’s proceeds over the years, which has allowed the Centre to offer additional programs and services to children and their families.
The Rotary Club of St. Catharines’ involvement with Niagara Children’s Centre has spanned more than 50 years. The Club was one of their charter members, playing a key role in formally establishing the Centre in 1964 and contributing to its first capital campaign. Since then, the Rotary Club has supported building expansions and contributed financially to support multiple programs to improve their services, purchase specialized equipment and maintain the provision of quality programs for the children of Niagara.
Mega Rotary TV Auction
One giant regional event over one extended weekend. The annual Mega Rotary TV Auction takes place late November/early December, to coincide with the holiday shopping season.
Thanks to the generosity and community-minded spirit of local businesses, each of the participating Rotary clubs receive donations of a great variety of items and gift certificates that the community is encouraged to bid on online.
Contributions and proceeds from the auction make local community projects possible. Last year, with generous support from the community, the Rotary Club of St. Catharines raised more than $70,000!
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