By David Taylor / Managing editor
For decades, the North Shore Rotary Club has relied on powerful rallying cries to fuel its largest fundraiser of the year: “Remember Rotary,” “Stay the course,” and “All in for Rotary.” As April approaches, those calls to action are once again bringing members together to support a fundraiser that sends hundreds of thousands of dollars back into the community.
The groundwork for the fundraiser begins long before the first ticket is sold. According to former North Shore Rotary president Cary Stephens, everything starts with securing corporate sponsors.
“The sponsors provide the seed money to get things started and rolling,” Stephens said.
That early funding allows the club to cover upfront costs such as advertising, marketing, posters, and tickets without dipping into other Rotary funds. Stephens credited former Rotarian and banker Mark Mulloy with introducing the corporate sponsorship model that transformed the fundraiser’s potential.
“He developed the idea for corporate sponsors, and his year was the first and he raised somewhere around $100,000,” Stephens said. “The money was used as seed money to invest in the start of the fundraiser.”
Once sponsorships are secured, the club traditionally kicks off the public phase of the fundraiser with a banquet designed to energize members and officially launch ticket sales. These kickoff banquets have become memorable events in their own right, often built around creative themes.
One of the most iconic banquets was hosted by former club president Jim Gilbert, who drew inspiration from Texas history.
The Remember Rotary battle cry was taken from ‘Remember the Alamo. He hosted the banquet at the San Jacinto Monument, where Rotarians were welcomed by period‑dressed Texian Army soldiers and cannons.
Stephens utilized a poker‑themed banquet during his presidency.
“When the no‑limit hold ’em card game was the rage, my theme was ‘All in for Rotary,’” Stephens said.
At each kickoff banquet, members receive their assignments—meal tickets, raffle tickets, and promotional materials—and are encouraged to begin selling immediately. Now the club has streamlined some costs by allowing members to print materials themselves, the sense of shared responsibility remains unchanged.
The fundraiser itself is a multi‑week effort, complete with weekly ticket turn‑ins that give leadership a real‑time pulse on progress. Friendly competition is a hallmark of the process, with team captains motivating their groups and prizes awarded to top sellers.
“It’s kind of a pride thing of, you know, whose team won,” Stephens said, noting that North Shore Rotary “loves a good competition.”
The scale of the fundraiser underscores its importance. In a typical year, the event grosses around $500,000 and nets approximately $300,000 after expenses such as food, prizes, and vehicles.
“Every penny of the fundraiser goes back into our community, less the expenses to put on the event,” Stephens said.
Those funds support scholarships, senior assistance programs, youth sports, and other local needs—making the fundraiser the primary financial engine behind the club’s charitable work. Even during the challenges of COVID‑19, the club found ways to continue, including hosting a virtual version when in‑person gatherings were not possible.
Beyond fundraising, members say the event is also an opportunity to introduce Rotary to new faces.
“If things like this interest you and you would like to know more about how to join Rotary and help your community, come to the Fish Fry and ask,” Stephens urged the public.
As April’s fundraiser draws near, the message remains clear: success comes from teamwork, tradition, and a willingness to go ‘all in’ and ‘stay the course’ for Rotary and for the community it serves.
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