Jeanne Shipp wins the new car Raffle
NORTH CHANNEL – A crowd numbering almost a thousand packed the Rotary Pavilion on Wallisville last Saturday May 14th, as the North Shore Rotary held their 47th Annual Catfish Fry & Crawfish Boil, a benefit event that raises money for Rotary community projects.
The event included fish fry dinners, cooked and served by Rotarians and area high school students, a live auction with over 70 lots of unusual and exotic items, a silent auction, and a raffle that gave away a new car or pickup truck and 19 other worthwhile prizes.
Chairing the event was Rotarian Ken Wimbley, and president Shawn Silman. The rest of the club filled volunteer positions and helped with ticket sales, auction prizes, sponsorship sales, food serving and more.
The Fish Fry returned this year as an in-person event, after two years of online or remote activity, due to health concerns during the COVID-19 Pandemic. It seems the crowd brought two years of enthusiasm with them this year, in ticket sales and auction bidding.
Preliminary figures indicate the Fish Fry will raise almost $400K, to be used for various Rotary community projects, scholarships, and more.
In the raffle ticket draw, the prize of a new Toyota car or pickup truck was won by Jeanne Shipp, with a ticket sold by Rotarian Bill Palko. (Remember that for next year, maybe).
Additional prizes in the raffle were a whole hog, a custom grill and firepit, HoustonRodeo tickets, sports tickets, fireworks packages, Apple iPad mini, Yeti cooler, and much more.
In addition to ticket sales and proceeds from the live and silent auctions, a number of sponsors help support the event, and their names are prominently displayed on signs as people enter.
Major sponsors this year included KNCS Services LLC, Channelview ISD Education Foundation, Community Toyota, Galena Park ISD Education Foundation, San Jacinto College Foundation, and Blue Northern A/C. There were also about 26 additional corporate sponsors.
Except for the pandemic years, this event draws many hundreds that enjoy a day of friendship and catching up with old Rotary pals from all over the city, and lots of local folks that wish they were Rotarians, too. It’s a great event that everyone enjoys.