Rotary fundraiser is on a mission to aid students
Sara Bucy, head cook for the Wooster Rotary, along with President Matt Long and Kim Sayer, the club’s president-elect, make meatloaf, a signature dish for the club.
Scholarship programs offered by the Wooster Rotary Club will be the direct beneficiary of the upcoming Meals with a Mission fundraiser at TJ’s Restaurant on Oct. 29 from 4-8 p.m.
“Our biggest fundraiser used to be an annual auction,” Wooster Salvation Army Major Madelaine Dwier of the Rotary Club said. “We stopped doing that a couple of years ago, and it left a gap in our need for scholarship funding. The Meals with a Mission fundraiser takes the place of the auction, and last year it was successful.”
Dwier said this is the second year for Meals with a Mission. “It did quite well last year, and we met our goal,” she said.
This year the Wooster Rotarians hope to raise at least $10,000, all of it for scholarships for area young people.
“We are able to award many different scholarships,” Dwier said. “The scholarships help with exchange-student programs at the high school level and are also awarded to high school graduates as they prepare for college expenses.”
Meals with a Mission will offer a menu with one’s choice of beef, chicken or fish with a vegan option available. “All three levels at TJ’s will feature a different live band. The restaurant is normally not open on Mondays but will be open only for Meals with a Mission,” Dwier said.
A 50-50 drawing will be a part of the event, and Dwier said last year’s drawing proved to be an excellent investment for a lucky ticket buyer. “It was worth about $2,000,” she said.
The event drew about 500 people for its initial run in 2017. The fundraiser differs this year: Only dinner will be served, instead of lunch and dinner. Dinner tickets, which are $30, include salad, vegetable, and water or iced tea. A 15-percent discount is available for other drinks during Meals with a Mission.
“I can tell you it was a lot of fun last year,” Dwier said. “Rotary members bring spouses, and there are a lot of people. It has the feel of a really big party, a huge celebration. It will be a great evening for friends and family.”
The Rotary scholarship program awards five $2,000 scholarships and one for art study at $1,000. The club also works with the Wayne County Community Foundation in recommending recipients of other scholarships established by Rotarians. Scholarship applicants must be graduating seniors from Wooster High School with a 3.0 minimum GPA.
The Youth Exchange program of the Wooster Rotary Club is nearing the end of its application period for the 2019-20 school year. Online applications must be finalized by Oct. 31.
For more information visit the club website at www.woosterrotary.org. The group meets each Monday at noon at the First Presbyterian Church, 621 College Ave., Wooster.
Tickets are available at the Wooster Rotary website or via the club’s Facebook page, from the Wayne County Community Foundation, or from Rotary members.
TJ’s Restaurant is at 359 Liberty St. in Wooster.