A crowd filled Kutztown Community Park for the 12th Annual Taste of Kutztown, raising funds for charities and community projects.
“The Taste of Kutztown is a labor of love for our club,” said Kutztown Rotarian Kurt Rohrbach, the event coordinator. “Our original goal was simply to raise funds for local charities and student programs, but this has evolved into a joyful event and community celebration.”
All ages were welcome to walk throughout the park during the Kutztown Rotary Club’s June 11 benefit event while enjoying strolling musicians, craft and food vendors. For the age 21 and older crowd, tastings were offered by regional wineries, distilleries, and craft beer breweries.
Rohrbach credits the event’s success to a committee of more than 12 Rotarians who each oversee specific duties.
“It requires over 1,200 working hours from October through June, sponsors, volunteers and the borough’s support,” he said. “Looking back on the event makes us proud of our community.”
Previously, the 2020 event was canceled due to the pandemic. In 2021, the pandemic continued to have an impact on the Taste of Kutztown. With much still in doubt and nine months of planning required, the club limited ticket sales and vendors to allow for social distancing.
This year was the 12th annual event.
“The Kutztown Rotary Club created and has run the Taste of Kutztown for 12 years,” said Kutztown Rotary President Tom Kulp. “Each year we are impressed with the community support for this event.”
More than 80 vendors, 50 volunteers, 15 sponsors and 1,200 attendees make this event a success, said Kulp.
“The funds raised by this event allow the Kutztown Rotary Club and Foundation to support 20 non-profit organizations and students from Brandywine and Kutztown school districts.”
The Taste of Kutztown is Kutztown Rotary Club’s largest fundraising event that supports the majority of the club’s giving.
“Rotary is the world’s largest service organization. The funds raised at Taste of Kutztown are used to support local and regional projects, charities and other service organizations who help to improve people’s lives,” Rohrbach said. “Occasionally, the Kutztown club joins with other Rotary clubs to tackle a much larger international project, such as providing wells to a recently electrified Dominican town.”
Proceeds also fund local community projects.
“By supporting a broad array of local organizations, which also benefit society, the Rotary Club of Kutztown increases its impact well beyond what we could accomplish alone,” he said. “The 20-plus service projects that the club participates in annually lets us get our hands dirty, but working with other groups magnifies our efforts.”
Funds raised from the Taste of Kutztown benefit local fire companies, libraries, food banks, homeless shelters, youth learning and activities, anti-drug programs, exchange students, scholarships, animal shelters, community meals, historical societies, the American Red Cross, Burn Prevention Foundation, the Potato Project, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, to name a few.
The Kutztown Rotary also helps to support global charities and projects including the eradication of polio and Shelter Box Disaster Relief program. Come out and enjoy this fun-filled event and help the Kutztown Rotary Club maximize their charitable contributions.
The Rotary Club of Kutztown meets weekly on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Club Room at the Kutztown Tavern, 272 West Main St. To join the Rotary Club, stop by a Wednesday night meeting or visit www.kutztownrotary.com or the Kutztown Rotary Club Facebook page.
Source: Berkshire mont
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