Club Fund Raising Activities

There is more to being a member of Rotary than work projects and lunch. Members participate in many major FUN social events such as mystery bus tours, winery tours, pot luck parties, the club Christmas brunch, and the annual installation of officers (The Debunking). Several of these events are designed as social or fellowship events, but are also significant fund raising activities.

Polenta Feed
One of the top two club fundraisers, the annual Polenta Feed consists of a down-home polenta and beef stew dinner, followed by a raffle, and silent and live auctions. Participants are encouraged to wear western attire, and the evening is topped off with a dance featuring a live band. Club members solicit contributions of prizes for the raffle, and items for the auctions. Proceeds from this event go to the Novato Rotary Endowment.

Golf Classic
The other major club fundraiser is the annual Novato Rotary Golf Classic Golf Tournament. With a usual sellout of golf foursomes, this shotgun tournament features a Bar-B-Que lunch, tee prizes, a hole-in-one contest with a new car prize, closest to the pin contests on all 3 pars, and a long drive contest for both men and women. Most of the funds from this event are used for a major donation to the Novato Youth Center, and to help fund the club's Mentoring Program to benefit high school students at risk of dropping out of school.

Art & Wine Festival Parking
Club members organize and staff parking lots during the two-day Art & Wine Festival sponsored by the Novato Chamber of Commerce and the City of Novato. Funds raised go to the Novato Rotary Endowment.

Novato Rotary Car Wash
The club organizes and conducts an annual car wash fundraiser. A Rotarian from another City makes available the facilities of a local mechanical car wash for one weekend day, and members dry the vehicles after they're washed. Members buy and sell tickets to friends and acquaintances, and the proceeds go to the Novato Rotary Endowment.

Dues, Fines and Contributions
The club's operating and administrative costs, and many of the club's projects, are financed by annual member dues and fines, as well as direct contributions. At the weekly club meetings, it is customary for the club President to "fine" members in the process of recognizing them in a light-hearted way for accomplishments and community activities. At present these fines nearly equal the members annual dues.