Polson Rotary sets wheels in motion for $100,000
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POLSON — “What can we do to impact the most youth in the Mission Valley?”
Polson Rotary Club uses this question to pick its signature project each year, according to president Rob Turner.
In 2012, the group chose the Mission Valley Aquatic Center and upped the ante to $100,000. Usually Rotary donates $15,000 from funds raised at its signature event, the Festival for Youth.
The amount started low and then just snowballed, Turner said, so this year Rotarians will add personal donations, a club donation and, hopefully, a matching-funds grant from Rotary International.
“We flat-out just believe it’s the right thing to do for the community,” Turner said.
Festival for Youth will be held Aug. 25 in Riverside Park and will include a chili cook-off, games for the kids, entertainment and the popular raffle.
Returning raffle items will be $1,000 in groceries from Super 1 Foods, $1,000 cash from First Interstate Bank, 300 pounds of Kobe beef from the Marchi Ranch and bottles of wine donated by club members. The Rotarians are thinking of adding a $1,000 gas card since gas prices are supposed to rise dramatically this summer.
At the first meeting in their April-to-August goal period, Turner said the group raised $15,000 so he’s optimistic.
But the most important thing, he added, was the number of kids who are going to learn to swim at the Mission Valley Aquatic Center.
