At the end of April, the Moose Jaw Rotary Club and the Moose Jaw Wakamow Rotary Club came together to host a community dinner to raise money to help humanitarian efforts for Ukrainian refugees in Poland.  

The dinner proved to be a massive success, raising $11,504.91.  

All of the proceeds go directly to the Rotary Clubs in Poland to support Ukrainian Refugees.  

“The caring from Moose Jaw people and their generosity was reflected in the results that we got. It was an event that was just totally satisfying for the Rotarians involved. We really, really, deeply appreciate the work and the contributions of so many volunteers and businesses and organizations who joined the meal purchasers in caring about the well-being of Ukrainian Refugees,” says Glenn Hagel, a Moose Jaw Wakamow Rotary Club member.  

The event was not only a dinner but it also had a silent and live auction that featured local businesses. 

Tickets for the event sold out early and 140 people attended.  

The Rotary Club also offered take-out meals for the event which 110 people took advantage of.  

“One of the great advantages of doing projects through Rotary is that it’s typical to raise funds in one country and then send them (the funds raised) locally to a place where help is needed and then decisions to how it’s (the money) is used can be made locally and supervised by local Rotarians there,” says Hagel.  

There are over 30,000 Rotary Clubs scattered across 200 different countries. 

According to Hagel, Rotary Club’s around the world consistently host projects like this to help other countries in need.  

“We are just so pleased. I think probably the thing that’s the most satisfying is that we felt that we connected in a very, very meaningful way with the sentiments that Moose Jaw people have, the caring for Ukrainian refugees and wanting to do something to help out,” says Hagel, “At the end of the day, to be able to give away (and) for Moose Jaw people to express that and od something to help out is the most gratifying part of the whole project.”