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Rotary Club rose sale underway
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Those of you wishing to make some major points with your significant
other, or just need another way to say “I love you,” will have an
opportunity to do so…and it won’t cost you an arm or a leg!
The Caledonia Rotary Club will be kicking off the 11th annual Rotary
Rose Sale this week. For $15, one can purchase a dozen roses to
brighten someone’s day, and also help support one of the community’s
service organizations.
“The nice thing about the rose sale is you’re just not donating for the
sake of donating. You’re getting something in return,” Rotary Rose Sale
Chairman John Pongratz said.
Pongratz said the local Rotary Club hopes to raise about $5,000 this
year. The vast majority of the funds raised go for scholarships given
out each year at graduation time. The Rotary Club usually awards 10
scholarships to Caledonia Area High School grads.
“We ordered 600 dozen roses this year. Our net profit depends on how
our sale goes and the price we get,” Pongratz explained. “The roses are
grown in South America. With transportation costs up this year, our
profit margin won’t be quite as good. We decided not to raise the price
this year. We’ve been at $15 a dozen for a number of years.”
The 28-member club has been divided into five selling teams. Team
captains are Beth Stempinski, Ann Thompson, Naomi Fruechte, Bruce
Bulman, and Sibyl Floyd. Friendly competitiveness is a good way to
describe the mission of the five selling teams. The team making the
most sales will have the bragging rights for the next year.
Orders for the roses will be taken now, and handed out Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the AmericInn in Caledonia.
“We like to make all of our sales ahead of time, but we usually have a
few dozen not spoken for on our hand out date, for those few who didn’t
place an order and decide at the last minute they better buy some
roses,” Pongratz said with a laugh.
The rose sale is one of two major fund raisers the Rotary Club holds
each year. The other is the soup supper, which is held in December
during the community’s Winter Wonderland Festival.
Besides the scholarships given out each spring, the Rotary Club also
has championed several major projects. The local organization also
spearheaded the construction of the concession stand at the middle
school/high school athletic complex. The Rotary Club also did much to
make the Four Seasons Community Center a reality.
The Caledonia Rotary Club meets every Friday morning at 7:30 at the
Farm House. For more information on the rose sale, or becoming a
Rotarian, persons can contact Pongratz or any of the five team
captains.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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