Curbside crawfish boil to fundraise for community
RUSSELLVILLE — The River Valley United Way has figured out a unique way to fundraise by conducting a curbside crawfish boil on Friday.
“We were thinking about fundraisers that we could do to supplement because we’ve had a hard year,” said Kristy Williams, director of RVUW. “Lent was coming up, and crawfish season overlaps it a bit, and we haven’t seen anyone else do this.”
Lent is an annual religious observance that begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts approximately six weeks.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the River Valley United Way has not been able to hold its traditional fundraisers, such as Havana Nights in September, to help ease poverty in the River Valley. The United Way focuses on assisting residents in Pope, Johnson and Yell counties.
Preorders are required for the boil, and the cost will be $12 for a pound of crawfish and sides.
“You have to have your order in by Monday, and that’s because our supplier, Cajun Ave’s, that we’re working with in Danville — they have to actually order it and get it in, so they want to make sure they get enough for us,” Williams said.
The proceeds from the crawfish boil will go to the general fund.
The crawfish boil will take place curbside at the Russellville Train Depot. Once a preorder is placed, a time slot will be reserved from 4:30-6:30 p.m. to pick up the crawfish. To place preorders, visit rivervalleyunitedway.org/curbside-crawfish-boil.
Williams said she is already planning for an in-person crawfish-boil fundraiser for 2022.
“We’re looking forward to next year,” she said. “We’re kind of testing the waters with this one to see what the interest is. … So many people are excited about it. I’m excited about it. We’ve been looking for any way this year that we could bring any benefit to the community, even if it wasn’t being able to fund something.
“If we could just bring something to the community that improves it and enhances it, we’re going to do it.”