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Local Rotary Club News
PRESS RELEASE
GROVE ROTARY RIBFEST GETS COOKING IN CENTRAL PARK
 
The Rotary Club of Spruce Grove is putting on a three-day BBQ rib festival in Spruce Grove's Central Park from August 13-15.  The event will feature rib trucks from Gator BBQ, Prairie Smoke and Spice BBQ, and House of Q, plus local food trucks.  There will be talent presentations, live bands Friday night (Brasstactics and Achilles Last Stand) and Saturday night (FlatBroke and My Dog Sam), a show and shine on Saturday, and beer gardens.

This year's title sponsor is RavenWolf Brewing Co. who will be serving a specially branded commemorative beer to signify the kickoff of what the club hopes will become Spruce Grove's premiere community celebration every summer.  The Rotary Club had originally conceived of bringing the event to Spruce Grove in 2020, but the pandemic prevented the plans from going forward.  Plans this year were tentative until the province announced an easing of restrictions for the summer and the club felt comfortable that vaccinations were going in the right direction to help keep attendees safe.  Organizers feel that they can help bring Spruce Grove back together and reinstate vibrancy in the community with this first-of-its-kind event in the region.
 
Admission is free, and organizers hope to see over 10,000 people take part in the festivities over the three days.  The event opens at 3 PM on Friday and 10 AM Saturday and Sunday.  The activities end at 10 PM Friday and Saturday, and 9 PM on Sunday.  The Spruce Grove Skate Park Society is holding BMX, skateboard, and scooter competitions in conjunction with the event on all three days.  The Spruce Grove Public Library is hosting their 60th anniversary celebrations just next door, including a vendor market, indigenous cultural presentations, and a splash bucket challenge where contestants can try to get local politicians and well-known personalities wet with a pinpoint softball throw.  All three events running next to each other at the same time should mean there's something for everyone throughout the weekend.
 
General parking is available at Brookwood, Woodhaven, and Broxton Park Schools.  Some accessible parking will be available on the event site as well as a passenger drop-off and pick-up zone.  While there will be seating for hundreds on site, attendees are also encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets to enjoy the weekend's entertainment on Central Park's grassy areas near the Lion's Log Cabin.  Having the event in Central Park makes it very accessible for anyone who's out and about on foot, on their bikes, or in their cars.  VIP day passes are available for those who want an upgraded experience, including tent-covered lounge seating, on-site parking, a premium private bar, and upgraded washrooms.

Money raised from the event will support the Rotary Club of Spruce Grove's community service programs and partners.  The Rotary Club of Spruce Grove has served the community by constructing amenities, supporting social enterprises, and developing youth through leadership and international student exchange programs in Spruce Grove for almost 30 years
 
ENDS
 
For more information, see www.groverotaryribfest.com or email info@groverotaryribfest.com.
Rio Muchacho Water Project
Our club is becoming a partner in another water project in Ecuador!  Following the completion of a municipal water system in the rural community of Santa Teresa, Manabi, Ecuador in 2020, the Rotary Club of Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador approached us again about their next project in the Rio Muchacho valley.  Similar in intent, the project would provide, for the first time, reliable potable water to the homes and schools in the valley by creating a well, a treatment system, a distribution system, meters, and a local water board to govern and operate the system as a utility.  The project would be funded by several Rotary partners and utilize a grant from The Rotary Foundation for expenses.  We are hoping to raise $2,000 from the Spruce Grove community, which we can multiply several times over to become a major contributor to the US$90,000+ project.
 
The Service Projects committee approved up to $2,000 of matching funding under the Projects of Passion plan.  That means if we can meet our $2,000 fundraising goal before the end of May, we will end up contributing $4,000 cash to the project.  We are in the process of gaining approval from Rotary District 5370 to match that with $4,000 of funding.  Following that, we expect to receive a successful match of an additional $6,000 from The Rotary Foundation's world fund.  That would be a total of $14,000 from $2,000 raised from the community!  We should all be so lucky to get a 7:1 match on investments in a matter of a few weeks.  Really, though, the worth of the investment is priceless: the health, wellbeing, and community of the Ecuadorian people in the Bahia de Caraquez region, one with which Spruce Grove has had a connection for over 15 years.
 
If you're interested in making a tax-deductible donation to the project, please contact Brad Mastaler at 780-965-0258 or brad.mastaler@gmail.com or Neil Hollands at 780-690-8002 or nlholl@shaw.ca.  If you know someone in the community who might be interested as well, please pass on this message and our contact info.
 
Thanks,
 
Brad and Neil
 
Spruce Grove City Council Allocates Funds
The Spruce Grove City Council allocated $27000 from their 2020 contingency fund to the following local organizations:
 
Neighbourlink $8000
Spruce Grove Welcome and Refugee Centre $6000
Pay Forward Kindness $5000
Auggie's Cafe $4000
Kinettes $4000
 
The Rotary Club of Spruce Grove loves the association and partnership we have with the City of Spruce Grove Council.
 
Way to go Council...way to go Spruce Grove!
Rotary Club Promoting Local Businesses to Raise Funds for Community Projects
Rotary Club Promoting Local Businesses to Raise Funds for Community Projects
October 20, 2020
 
The Spruce Grove Rotary Club plans to reconnect local businesses with customers while raising some urgently needed capital to support ongoing social programs and continue to build community amenities.  From November 3 to November 17, the club will host a virtual silent auction featuring a hundred items and experiences sourced mostly from local businesses.  On the evening the auction closes, bidders can experience a bit of that auction sale frenzy feeling by joining in on their virtual gala.
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