Sanibel Rotary Club Prepares For 27th Annual Arts & Crafts Fair, Raising Funds For Haiti Relief Efforts

The fair includes 104 vendors selected from a pool of applicants and includes a multitude of artistic disciplines such as painting, woodcarving, sculpture and photography. Returning this year is renowned Sanibel artist Ikki Matsumoto. Mr. Matsumoto and his wife, Polly, have again generously donated a design for the fair’s commemorative t-shirt.  The shirts, available for sale at the fair, are a popular fixture of island attire.

This year marks a new endeavor for Rotarians as the fair has been expanded to include silent auction and raffle items from local businesses in an effort to raise additional funds for Haiti relief.  Among the items donated are a piece of fine jewelry from Congress Jewelers and a one week stay in a Sanibel beach condominium from VIP Vacation Rentals.

The Club hopes to raise in excess of $50,000 which will be used to benefit local organizations providing food and educational services, Rotary sponsored international projects providing clean water and polio immunization, and to maintain the Club’s two endowed university scholarships awarded to local students.  In addition, the Club intends to increase its effort to assist Rotary affiliated relief efforts for those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Club President, Lee Almas said “we’ve already sent $5,000 to ShelterBox USA which is providing temporary shelter to displaced Haitians. We hope to have additional funds available in the near future to provide wheelchairs to those who’ve suffered the loss of limbs through amputation and spinal injuries.”

The Wheelchair Foundation is a charitable organization which partners with Rotary International to manufacture and distribute durable wheelchairs for children and adults at a low cost.

The fair hours are 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Saturday the 13th and 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday the 14th. Admission is a suggested donation of $4. The Rotary Club of Sanibel-Captiva’s trust foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and all donations are tax deductible. Donations for Haitian Relief may be sent to San-Cap Rotary Trust, PO Box 686, Sanibel, FL, 33957. For more information, visit http://www.sanibelrotary.org