Rotary Club of Shoreline “Make A Difference” Gala Auction April 2 2011

by Monty K. Reed on May 11, 2011 in Events

Every year Rotary Clubs around the world put on fundraisers so that they will have a budget for the next fiscal year. Rotary fiscal year runs from July 1 – June 30 every year. April May are popular months to hold an auction but the planning and behind the scenes work starts twelve months before the event. Sometimes the fundraising continues a couple of months after the auction is over.

The Rotary Club of Shoreline (aka Shoreline Lunch Rotary) held an auction this year after having taken time off from

Special O Catering owner Brian Blake, Rotarian Tami Agnew and Rotary Club president, Lee Craig.

auctions and it was a big success. The volunteers and the patrons all made this a spectacular event. The food was amazing. This year Brian Blake prepared the meal for our Gala Auction. Visit Special O’s website at SpecialOCatering.com or contact him at 206-527-1253, email specialo_catering@yahoo.com. Special O Catering provides weekly lunches to the Rotary Club of Shoreline and was awarded the Business of the Month, being recognized as a business that applies Rotary values on the job. Though Brian is not a Rotarian he sure acts like one with his clients, employees and customers. The menu included a spaghetti meal for the volunteers that had come to set up the auction before all the patrons and extra guests arrived. For the auction attendees there was an amazing salad (I just remember the variety of leaves, the nuts and the dressing. The main course included a fish and a beef entrée on every plate. There was not confusion or extra waiting and if you did not want one or the other it was fine.

The big “Fund An Item” was for the Rotocare dental clinic and health clinic. There is a free clinic in Seattle funded by Rotary Clubs. They serve over 20 people a day. Now they want to offer free dental care in the community. I was so inspired when I visited India and had a chance to work alongside the healthcare professionals at the CMC (Christian Medical College) in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. They treat over 5000 outpatients every day and if they can not pay the do not have to. The Rotocare clinic has been providing free care to the North Seattle area for years.

Volunteer doctors and other health care professionals donate their time and help volunteer nursing and pre -med students from the University of Washington to treat the patients. Suppliers donate materials and the Rotary Clubs pay for whatever is not donated.

It is hard to stop talking about Rotary because it is so noble and the people in it are so interested in improving the quality of life of all mankind.