Rotary Club of Freeport appealing to community's 'Sweet Tooth' to raise funds

The Rotary Club of Freeport is hoping to appeal to the public's sweet tooth for its annual Worldâ s Finest Chocolate Fundraiser.

The club has been hosting the fundraiser for the past four years and has raised thousands for its community projects in the process.

Fundraising Chairperson Vicky Martel said that she came up with the idea for the chocolate fundraiser four years ago after coming across some memorabilia from her years in high school.

" I was going through a box of old memorabilia and I found this World's Finest Chocolate wrapper. We used to sell them in high school and it was to raise money,"  Martel said.

" So I saw this and I said let me just see, because we were looking for a project for Rotary that had never been here before," 

She said she was surprised to find that after 50 years the company still manufactured the chocolate bars she remembered as a child.

After launching the fundraiser in Freeport, Martel said she was thrilled to find that the candies were so popular.

Typically, she said, the Rotary Club of Freeport orders 100 cases, with 60 chocolate bars per case. Each case includes almond, caramel, milk chocolate, crisp, and dark chocolate and almond candy bars.

The chocolates are priced at $1.50 per bar and $90 per box.

Martel said the fundraiser helps to raise about $4,000 for Freeport Rotary each year.

" After we consider we have to pay duty... we probably make $3,000 to $4,000 on it,"  she said.

" As you know, Rotary is a service organization and as a service organization, all the money that we collect we use back into the community. We have to have projects to raise the money in order to give the money."

All proceeds gained from this years fundraiser will go toward scholarships and the purchase of wheelchairs for the elderly and disabled, Martel said.

For this reason, she encouraged those who have not done so already to purchase the chocolate bars.

" Please do not procrastinate because there is a limited amount and we won't order again until next year. So if you like chocolate, get it,"  she said.

" If you buy them we can help other people. $1.50 a bar may not seem like much but it adds up. When you help us, you help other people in the community." 

Individuals interested in supporting the World's Finest Chocolate Fundraiser can purchase the candy bars from Rotarians or Bellevue Business Depot.