The annual Harvest Ball on Saturday was another success for the Olds Rotary Club, raising more than $50,000 for the club's activities, before expenses.
The Harvest Ball serves as the club's main fundraiser, said Rotary president Greg MacIntyre. In 2010, the club budgeted for $40,000, but made nearly $50,000.
“It was way over our expectations. It was exciting because it gave us the opportunity to fund more projects than we anticipated,” MacIntyre said.
Some of the projects the Rotary Club funded last year included an addition to the Olds Fire Department fire training centre, the Royal Canadian Air Cadets 185 Squadron Olds and a shed for the Olds Special Olympics organization to store all of its sports equipment.
“Plus we've put in some volunteer hours to make over the baseball diamonds,” he said.
Internationally, the club helped to fund a girls' school in Malawi and gave funding in Bangladesh to help train registered nurses and licensed practical nurses.
The funds raised from the Harvest Ball will go toward 2012 projects. MacIntyre said usually there are more groups looking for funding than the club is able to support.
“But what our view has been is to look at what projects would have the maximum impact on the community, and that was part of the reason this year for funding the fire department, because by funding the fire department we not only affected Olds, we affected the district surrounding Olds, the RCMP, and the canine division of the RCMP. The sheriffs division were also able to benefit from using the fire facility,” he said.
MacIntyre said the RCMP's canine division used the fire training facility to better train the dogs to sniff out drugs. While the smoke hampers their ability to sniff out drugs, the facility gives them the opportunity to train under more difficult circumstances, MacIntyre explained.
Of the three citizens honoured by the Olds Rotary Club for 2011, Kayley Reed, as the Youth Citizen of the Year, was the youngest. Now in first year studies at the University of New Brunswick, Reed is taking leadership studies there. In nominating Reed, Loun Statchuk and Tane Skotlheim, staff members at Olds High School, said Reed exemplifies leadership.
“She is reliable, completely trustworthy and always works hard as a team member or team leader. She will continue to make a difference and be involved wherever life leads her. She exemplifies the best in our youth and is most worthy of consideration for this prestigious award,” they wrote in nominating her.
Some of the endeavours Reed was involved with during her time at OHS included being an active member of student council from 2008 to 2011 (including co-president in 2010-11), and a founding member and past president of the OHS Interact Club. As a member of the Interact Club, she helped organize the UNESCO conference hosted at OHS earlier this year. She was also a member of the Canadian Student Leadership Conference team that helped plan the national conference OHS hosted in 2009.
Reed was also involved with the OHS Drama Club, performing in the club's annual production during her time at the high school.
In a video message played at the event on Saturday, Reed said she was honoured to be recognized by Rotary. One of the highlights of her time at OHS was helping to found and then implement the Interact Club.
“I've benefitted and grown so much in the last couple of years,” she said, noting that she is looking forward to her leadership studies.
“It's been really exciting,” she said.
"But what our view has been is to look at what projects would have the maximum impact on the community."Greg MacIntyre, president, Olds Rotary Club
