The Rotary Club and the Hollister Independence Rally Committee
handed out about $12,000 in checks to local youth
– and senior-based charities Monday with funds raised at this
year’s Independence Rally, according to Rotary Club president Larry
Barr.
Hollister – The Rotary Club and the Hollister Independence Rally Committee handed out about $12,000 in checks to local youth – and senior-based charities Monday with funds raised at this year’s Independence Rally, according to Rotary Club president Larry Barr.
A total of about $30,000 was distributed to the charities after adding in money the Rotary Club raised at other fundraisers this year.
Fourteen different charities received donations from the Rotary and HIRC on Monday, ranging from the local YMCA, to the Community Pantry and the United Way.
Tom Larkin, the Executive Director of the Community Pantry, said the funding his group received Monday came just in time for the holiday season.
“Tomorrow we will probably be able to hand out 900 bags (of food) and at least 600 turkeys,” Larkin said.
Each year, charities put requests for funding in to HIRC, which then meets with the Rotary Club to determine which group will receive money and how much, Barr said. HIRC and the Rotary Club raised money in July during the Hollister Independence Rally, at which the Rotary ran a beer garden. The club has a long-term contract with HIRC to run a beer garden at the event each year, Barr said.
“We don’t necessarily distribute the money evenly to the different organizations, we base it on their requests. But when we sit down and look at all the different charities, we try to do the best we can,” said Barr.
Barr declined to say how much each individual organization received.
Marle Holte Dinners, which organizes Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for the needy every year, was another recipient of funding from the Rotary and HIRC this year.
“I want to point out that the people in this county are the most giving and the most generous that I’ve ever come across,” Marle Holte said when he accepted the check.
Barr thanked the Rotary members for volunteering their time at the beer garden during July’s festival, and said they managed to sell a significant amount of beer.
“This year we poured 169 kegs in 32 hours,” Barr said, then added, “It was a hot day.”
Jessica Quandt is a staff writer for the Free Lance. Reach her at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or at [email protected].
