Rotary Casino Night jackpot

More than 160 people attended Arcadia Rotary Club’s first Casino Night fundraiser with club members hailing the event as a huge success. “Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and sponsors, we are able to raise almost $21,000 to further our charitable projects,” said club president Dr. Brad Miller.

The Arcadia Community Center was transformed into a Monte Carlo casino for the evening as guests tried their hand at Craps, Roulette, Blackjack, Pai Gow and Texas Hold ‘Em. “The casino company did a fabulous job of working with all level of players from the experts to those who had never played the games,” said Arcadia Rotarian Michael Real. “And we received rave reviews on the evening’s cuisine.”

The prizes ranged from a helicopter ride around Southern California to tickets to sporting events, flat screen televisions and a $1,000 shopping spree at Westfield Santa Anita. Funds raised will help support club projects such as teacher mini-grants, leadership training for high school students, student speech and music awards and provide ongoing maintenance at Boy Scouts’ Camp Trask in Monrovia Canyon. Internationally, the club helps finance wells that provide clean water in eight countries and construction projects at Tijuana orphanages. Projects members have supported for the past 25 years.

“Of course, the main thrust of Rotary since 1985 has been the eradication of polio with over $800 million raised to date and only a few countries still reporting cases,” said Miller. “The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $555 million to Rotary for the final push towards complete eradication.”

A special thank you to event underwriters Westfield Santa Anita, Post Alarm Systems, Sierra Auto Cars, Methodist Hospital of Southern California and The Derby, Matt Denny’s and Opera restaurants. “We thank those that came and had a fun evening,” said Miller. “We will be bringing it back bigger and better next year.” The Arcadia Rotary Club meets every Friday from noon to 1:30 pm at the Embassy Suites Hotel located at 211 E Huntington Drive in Arcadia.

— by Anne Donofrio-Holter