More than 215 silent auctions and another 11 in a live auction went up for bids during the Chemainus Rotary Club’s 13th annual Al Johnson Memorial Auction.
Considerable funds were raised from the Saturday night event at the Chemainus Theatre’s Playbill Dining Room for the many causes the club supports. Cam Drew, famous in Chemainus and everywhere else, conducted the live auction.
Club president Warren Weir spoke about the important contributions made by the Little Club That Could to “improve the quality of life for the people of Chemainus, Canada and the World.”
A trip to Guatemala the last five years has become an important international project for the club to complement so many of the other things it does locally such as a labyrinth at Waterwheel Park, in partnership with the Festival of Murals Society, plus support for sports groups, bursaries and scholarships for high school students and so much more.
“We’re proud to host the best SummerFest in the world to say thank you to Chemainus,” Weir added.
“Service above self,” he stressed is the organization’s motto.
“Rotary is about friendship as well as service.”
Weir expressed his gratitude to the numerous auction donors throughout the Cowichan Valley.
“We couldn’t do it without your generous and caring support,” he conceded.
“Every project and every contribution makes a difference every year.”
Along with the Duncan DayBreak, Duncan and South Cowichan Rotary Clubs, Chemainus is also making the effort to improve the quality of life better for many local children in Cowichan Valley School District 79 through the Starfish Pack program.
“The program was developed so children had enough to eat over the weekend and were not coming to school hungry on Monday morning,” pointed out co-chair Corrine Thompson of the Duncan club.
The program started in Abbotsford when teachers found students were hungry and unable to concentrate or learn to their full potential.
Students were sent home with backpacks filled with healthy food and snacks to last them through the weekend so they returned Mondays ready to learn.
The program was eventually introduced into this area and “approximately eight to 10 months later, we were feeding 31 children in the school district here in Duncan,” said Chemainus’ Derek Hardacker, who also serves as a co-chair. “Our program here in the Cowichan Valley is the first one for Vancouver Island.”
The need is still greater than the number being accommodated, but Rotarians are hoping to close the gap.
People can help by sponsoring a child, making a donation of any amount, volunteering time or sharing information with friends. Starfish Cowichan Valley has a Facebook page as well as a website at starfishpack.com/cowichan-valley and email at starfishcowichanvalley@gmail.com for more information.
