Editor:
The Rotary Club of Nakusp wishes to thank all those who came out to support our Wine Festival on Saturday evening.
The CMH K2-Rotor Lodge provided a fabulous venue for the event and the hors d’oeuvres they created were delicious. Many thanks to Executive Chef, Kevin McGowan, and his culinary staff. Many thanks to Lodge Manager, Cheryl White, for her support from the beginning, and to Jillian Heagy, Front End Manager, for training the Nakusp Secondary School student servers, who all had a great time.
This event is our first fundraiser of the year and, while we have not tallied up the results yet, we can say it was a very successful fundraiser for our Rotary Club.
The donations for our silent auction provided some real competitive bidding. Many thanks to the donors who provided the auction items. The 50/50 draws, 12 in all, helped add to the funds raised.
We had a number of businesses give cash donations both before and during the event.
We could not have pulled off the event so successfully without the support of our many volunteers! And, of course, we thank all of you who bought tickets to attend.
This event was also about raising awareness for the Arrow Lakes Grape Growers Association.
The ALGGA has been collecting weather and soil data for several years, and currently has a test plot in Burton. They are looking for specific grapes which might support a wine industry in the Arrow Lakes valley.
A new industry, with an agricultural base, is exactly what our valley and communities need. Wineries are a huge attraction for tourism and create a great export product.
They provide long-term income and employment wherever they establish themselves.
Many thanks to the thirteen wineries who also came out to promote their products.
Finally, what are we doing with the funds raised? Fifty percent will go towards POLIO PLUS, the Rotary International effort to eradicate polio from the world. The World Health Organization is predicting the world will be polio free in 2018. We are very close!
The other fifty percent will be set aside to fund one or more local projects. At present we are looking for, and wanting to support, another major project which our community needs. In 1964, the Rotary Club of Nakusp started the Arrowtarian Seniors Housing Complex. That has grown over the years to include four phases. We also built the Rotary Playground and rebuilt it in 2010 with new playground equipment. We are looking for a new project which will serve our community for generations to come.
Again, thanks to everyone who supported this event! From the very positive feedback this event is destined to become an annual event. See you all again next year!
Bill Tobey, President
Rotary Club of Nakusp