Tickets are still available for the 32nd annual Lacombe Rotary lobster dinner coming up June 10th and the lobsters are getting prepared for their flight to Lacombe.
Rotary member Peter DeWit explained that the dinner does well every year and allows the club to support various activities and programs in the community such as local youth programs like International Youth Exchange, scholarships, Adventures in Citizenships, agriculture, technology, Lacombe Youth Lunch Program, the YU-Turn Youth Centre and many more.
“We’ve hosted this for the past 32 years so it’s our main fundraiser for the Lacombe Rotary Club. We use the funds that we raise to support our local and international projects like the international youth exchange, we have a student that comes to Lacombe, we’ll be getting our new student this summer and of course we pay for that and house those students,” he said. “As well, we send our students out to different places in the world. We (also) have several scholarships for high school students available.”
The Rotary Club has also supported initiatives including the Lacombe Skateboard Park, the Lacombe Athletic Park and the C-4 Initiative but have not chosen a recipient for this year.
“We don’t have the particular projects chosen yet as far as donating this year but we are donating a significant fund to Big Brothers, Big Sisters for their new home and offices.”
DeWit said the dinner will be quite similar to last year’s dinner in regards to the set up which will be cocktails at 5:30 p.m. with the lobster and steak dinner served at the Lacombe Memorial Centre from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The lobsters will be flown in from the Maritimes that day so the seafood is promised to be fresh.
“It’s definitely a community event that a lot of people enjoy. We will be flying the lobsters in so it’s something unique and they are cooked right on site so they are definitely going to be fresher than most - I think that’s why people keep coming back.”
There will be a live and silent auction with items donated by local businesses and DeWit said Rotary members will go out and ask businesses to support the local causes.
“We are relying on the generosity of our supporters and they always seem to come through. It may be different regarding the economy this year but we are still hopeful that they will continue to support us.”
The only different aspect to this year’s event is involved in the entertainment, which will feature professional entertainer and former NHL player Kraig Nienhuis who will MC as well as entertain with his guitar and passion for music, according to DeWit.
“Last year we had about 350 people show up, we had live entertainment last year and will have it again this year. It will be very similar, just a new, different entertainment.
“He’s a former NHL player for the Boston Bruins, he is coming to MC the evening as well he’s a singer - a one man band kind of thing.”
Tickets are still available, but DeWit said because tickets tend to sell out every year, it’s best to get your tickets as soon as possible beforehand.
“It generally sells out, so we are two weeks away from the event. If people want tickets, then they should get them as soon as possible.”
Tickets are $75 each and are available from any Lacombe Rotary member, Royal Lepage Lifestyles or call the ticket hotline at 403-782-3171. Reserved tables of eight are also available at www.lacomberotary.ca.
shelby.craig@lacombeexpress.com