Seventh Annual Claws for a Cause

02/20/2020

Council: 10020 - No. WINDHAM

Project Description:

Every year, one of our Council’s best supported activities is the “Claws for a Cause” fundraiser to support our local food pantry. This year’s event was held in mid September 2019 in our Parish Hall. Our Council supports our local food pantry in a number of ways – including Knights volunteering to work the food pantry. The money raised thru this event help Knights to supply both Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for those in need served by the Food Pantry.

A month before the event, several Brother Knights took the led on publicity – sending announcements to local papers about the event, posting the event on the parish sign, printing and stuffing flyers into the parish bulletin, announcing the event at masses, and encouraging parishioners to attend post mass on the day of the event. Other Brother Knights took the lead ordering the lobsters and another requesting donations of corn and vegetables from a local farm. Others volunteered to bring lobster pots and propane boilers for cooking lobsters, and grills for cooking hamburgers. One Brother Knight took responsibility to purchase all the remaining food items and supplies.

The day before the event, six Brother Knights prepped the parish hall for the event by moving the movable walls, setting up the tables and chairs, table cloths, centerpieces, place mats, knives/forks/spoons, pre-washing all silverware and dishes. Miscellaneous supplies were also put out – bowls for the lobster shells, pics for the lobsters, lobster bibs, cups for melted butter, trash barrels/bags, extra paper towels and hand cleaner. The morning of the event, eleven Brother Knights began preparations for the day – setting up a tent outside the parish hall, the lobster pots/propane boilers for cooking the lobsters, and the grills for hamburgers. Two Brother Knights picked up the corn and vegetables donated by the local farm. Several Others went to pick up the lobsters at the boat. All helped peel the 40 pounds of potatoes for potato salad, make the cole slaw, husk the corn, peel the onions, and make the potato salad.

In the early afternoon, eleven Brother Knights and some spouses prepped the full meal – consisting of lobsters, butter, corn on the cob, cole slaw, potato salad, hamburgers for those who do not like lobster, fresh rolls, coffee/tea/punch, and over 160 servings of deserts made or bought by the Brother Knights and their spouses. A donation bin was also set up for guest to donate essential items for the food pantry (bath tissue, paper towels, toothpaste, tooth brushes, laundry detergent, peanut butter, soups, canned meats and tuna, dish soap, etc.)

About 120 meals were served (single lobster, twin lobster, and hamburgers). Representatives were on hand from the local food pantry to talk about their services. A community spirit was seen throughout the hall. A 50/50 raffle raised $100. Net proceeds for the Food Pantry was $689 and bins of donated items for the pantry. After the event, Brother Knights, spouses, and youth volunteers helped wash the dishes, clean up the hall, and put the parish hall back into place.