Rotary thanks shoppers
Dear editor: Every year, just before Christmas, the Rotary Club of Penticton runs their Wheelbarrow and Food Raffle to raise money for local charities that provide food to people in need. The latest raffle was held Dec. 1-2, 2017 in all five major grocery stores: IGA, Safeway, Save-On-Foods, Superstore and Walmart.
This raffle set a record. The new three-for-$5 tickets contributed to the success when customers bought more than double the number purchased the year before. Over 75 volunteer ticket-seller shifts were filled by Rotarians, Soupateria volunteers and other supporters. Soupateria used the opportunity to inform the public about their operation and to recruit volunteers.
Each of the five prizes consisted of a wheelbarrow filled to the brim with groceries. There was $350 worth of groceries in each wheelbarrow, purchased at the respective store with partial funding from the store. Thank you to the stores. Yes, the prize included the wheelbarrow.
Prize value was over $425 each, with a total value of over $2,125. Canadian Tire kindly donated two wheelbarrows and supplied the other three, which Rotary purchased. Everden Rust Funeral Services and Providence Funeral Homes sponsored the other three.
Prizes were drawn for at the end of the second day and the happy winners notified. The winners were: BJ Standish at IGA, Michelle Milligan at Safeway, KL Walford at Save-On-Foods, Sarah Russick at Superstore and Theresa Eisner at Walmart.
Rotary would like to thank IGA, Safeway, Save-On-Foods, Superstore, Walmart, Canadian Tire, Everden Rust Funeral Services, Providence Funeral Homes, Sign Language Studio and Minuteman Press.
Rotary would also like to thank all the Penticton residents and other people that bought tickets to support these causes. Plus, thanks also go out to the many ticket sellers.
Our net proceeds of $5,075 was almost double the previous year. These funds were donated to Penticton Soupateria and The Salvation Army Food Bank. Cheques were presented at Rotary meetings in January to representatives of each organization, who also gave our members an update on their respective operations.
Since 2009, Rotarians have sold $40,000 worth of tickets in this popular raffle. The annual Wheelbarrow and Food Raffle is another way that Rotary Makes a Difference in Penticton. Keith Johnson, Chair Rotary Wheelbarrow
and Food Raffle