DROUIN ROTARY MARKET CLEBRATES 15 YEARS
The Drouin Rotary Club’s 15th birthday market held recently set another record with 72 stallholders and strong public support in ideal weather conditions.The Club’s Market organisers, John Tricarico and Gary Scanlon, said that the market has continued to grow, and pleasant sunshine “certainly brought out the people, making it quite a social occasion”. John thanked the stallholders for their continuing support over the years and members of the community for their patronage. The Club celebrated the market’s 15th birthday with a birthday cake being cut by two stallholders - Brad Fankhauser (Fankhauser Orchards), who was one of the originals, and April Patton (Sweet Betsy coffee van), who was the newest stallholder. Slices of the cake were distributed amongst stallholders.
The Rotary Club also mounted a “community awareness” stand at the market, as a means of better informing the public of the work done by Rotary in the community, nationally, and internationally. This was the initiative of Club director Bob Vogt, and was staffed by Bob, his wife Maggie, Club president Sharryn Marshall and several Rotarians. Information leaflets, together with balloons and sweets for the children were distributed.
John Tricarico said that the December market is also looking very promising, with extra features including music being supplied by John Stevens (keyboard) and Jack Pretty (double bass), and the arrival of Santa Claus at 10am, amongst other attractions.
The monthly markets, held on the third Saturday each month in the car park in Young Street, Drouin, and the annual Motorfest and the Swap Meet are the Club’s main fund-raisers for its range of projects - mainly local causes, but also national emergency relief and some international Rotary programs. In the previous financial year, the markets, including the barbecue operated by club members, raised $11,000 to benefit the community.
