Kevin O'Leary and Arlene Dickinson might not have been on this particular Dragon's Den panel of judges but the members of the Airdrie Rotary Club liked what they heard as they awarded ten Airdrie charities some big bucks to help them continue to do good in the community.  

For the 15th year, the Airdrie Rotary Club hosted its "Dragon's Den" event that gives local groups the opportunity to "pitch" a project or cause to club members who then vote on which charity they wish to award the money to in support of their cause.

Of course, it's 2020, the year of the global pandemic, so this was a very different edition of the Dragon's Den.  "This year of course we couldn't meet in person like we normally would," explains Airdrie Rotary President Kerry Bostick.  "So we didn't get that warm and fuzzy feeling of listening to all the pitches in person which was disappointing but it still felt pretty good the give $10,000 to some really great charities in our community."

In past years the club has gone all out to put the Airdrie Rotary Dragon's Den on for the charities at the Bert Church Theatre.  This year's event became an online one but the charities were still given two minutes each to pitch their cause.  Last year the Rotary gave out $20,000 but cut that in half for this year because of fundraising challenges caused by COVID-19 restrictions.  Ten charities received $1,00 each to support their causes this year. 

The list includes:

  • Airdrie & District Hospice Society was awarded $1000 towards their teen program for children grieving from life-altering loss.
  • Airdrie & District Victims Assistance Society was awarded $1000 will fully funding Victims Assistance services for approximately 13 people
  • Airdrie Health Foundation was awarded $1000 towards their campaign to raise funds for a Dash Cardiac Monitor for Airdrie Urgent care
  • SMART Recovery Airdrie was awarded $1000 towards their group support program.
  • Community Links was awarded $1000 to support the Family Violence Wellness Fund.
  • Airdrie Project Linus was awarded $1000 to acquire fabric, fleece, yarn, and various other supplies for the blankets.
  • Airdrie Meals on Wheels was awarded $1000 towards website development.
  • Volunteer Airdrie Society was awarded $1000 towards the cost of a 3D Printer for their youth program.
  • Bethany Care Foundation was awarded $1000 towards the landscaping of Bethany Airdrie’s Aspen neighbourhood secure outdoor courtyard.
  • Second Airdrie Scout Group was awarded $1000 towards the replacement of 3 cooking stoves 

Bostick describes the Rotary club as "a bunch of Airdrie residents and business people who get together to raise money specifically to support charitable giving," and these ten charities and others who have benefitted from the Rotarians generosity in the past are glad that they are. 

Through their connection to Rotary International, Bostick says the club can make a small donation from the club grow to over three times its size to let them fund charitable endeavours around the world in a much bigger way.  She says because they are connected internationally it allowed them to be involved in providing a $10,000 donation this month for a project that they're working on in Nigeria with the Airdrie club providing $2,500 and the rest coming from matching grants from the Rotary district.  

"We just raise money, through events mostly, and this year we're going to be looking at some different options, and then turn around and give all that money back to charity," Bostick says.  

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