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DETROIT LAKES — A Rotary-led, Detroit Lakes community fundraiser for ongoing Ukraine war relief efforts overseas has brought in over $44,000, according to organizers.
This past March, the Detroit Lakes Noon Rotary Club spearheaded the community-wide fundraiser , which they hoped would bring in $30,000 — including a pledged $15,000 match from an anonymous donor. Though the fundraising drive was originally supposed to end on April 15, there were a few last-minute additions to the donor list, and by the time the month of April was over, the club had raised over $44,000, which went directly to Ukraine relief via the Rotary Foundation's Disaster Response Fund.
"The initial offer (from the anonymous donor) was to cover up to $10,000 in Rotary and community donations," said Dave Long, a Noon Rotarian who helped organize the local fundraising drive. "As donations were fast approaching that limit, they upped the match to $15,000, and then to $18,000."
Each of those goals was met, and exceeded, he added, with the final tally, as of April 30, coming to $44,000. Donations came in from not just both Detroit Lakes' Rotary clubs (Noon and Breakfast clubs), but also from clubs and individuals across Rotary District 5880, as well as from the Detroit Lakes community.
"Our two clubs alone raised over $13,000," said Kelcey Klemm, another club member involved in the fundraising effort.
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In addition, Long noted, Rotary District 5880 has generated another $50,000 in donations and grants to go toward Ukraine relief, and some fundraisers by other clubs in the district are ongoing.
For more information about Rotary's humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine, go to rotary.org .
