How 2 Butler County Rotary clubs fundraise in 2026
This article is one in a series of articles about what life looks like in Butler County ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. Stories in this series aim to showcase what it’s like to live, work, play and serve in Butler County during this moment in history.
Rotary clubs around Butler County serve their communities through special projects that range from funding scholarships to building playgrounds.
Ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary two local Rotary clubs explained how they raise the funds needed to get things done and make an impact in the communities they serve.
Members of Butler and Saxonburg-based Rotary clubs recently shared how traditional fundraisers, including casino nights and bingo games, are still popular with Rotary clubs, but creativity often brings in fundraising dollars, too.
The Butler AM Rotary’s biggest fundraising event is the Carved in Ice festival, which takes place every February in downtown Butler. During the two-day festival, ice sculptures fill Diamond Park while other events, such as a chili cook off and the Carved in Icing sweets contest, entertain guests.
The idea for an ice carving festival came from Dick Musko, a founding member and former president of the Butler AM Rotary.
According to Butler AM Rotary and Butler AM Rotary Charities board member Dena Fitzpatrick, Musko visited the Franklin on Ice festival in nearby Venango Township and wanted to bring something similar to Butler. At the same time, the Rotary club wanted to change its winter event.
Those circumstances combined and led to the Butler AM Rotary hosting the first Carved in Ice festival in 2015.
The festival started as a one-day event, but has since grown into a two-day event with activities throughout downtown Butler.
Last year, the festival raised over $20,000 for the Butler AM Rotary’s charity arm. The funds from the festival go toward contributions to other nonprofit organizations in the Butler area as well as other community and international service projects, according to Fitzpatrick.
Although the Saxonburg Area Rotary does not run its own festivals, its members attend plenty of events to fundraise.
Its most visually stunning fundraising tool is a barrel-shaped trailer, which contains a grill and is used to sell sausages and other food items. The barrel has become a staple at Saxonburg’s Mingle on Main and has also appeared at events across Butler County.
However, the barrel is not the only fundraising vehicle the Saxonburg Area Rotary uses.
In 2022, the Rotary debuted its trolley, which it uses for events such as trolley crawls. During these events, the trolley ferries guests between area restaurant and bars, where they sample the food and drink offerings available.
In addition to the crawls, the Rotary also allows people to rent out the trolley for weddings, according to Saxonburg Area Rotary President Phil Wain.
A second Butler-based Rotary club, the Butler Rotary PM gets creative with its events, too.
One is held every year on Election Day in November. The annual pancake festival encourages those who are voting to stop out to enjoy pancakes and support the club.
The clubs are among several throughout Butler County. The groups are dedicated to a mission of “Service above self.” The clubs are among more than 46,000 clubs across the world.
Rotary Leadership in Butler
Butler AM Rotary Club Officers
President Jeff Simmons
President-Elect Bob Craig
Vice-President Ashley McCandless
Secretary Brenda Cole
Treasurer Amanda Green
Sergeant-at-Arms Doug Green
Past President Dawn Halle
Butler Rotary PM Club Leaders
President Barbara Gade
President-Elect Al Vavro
Secretary Leslie Osche
Treaser Lou Genci
Membership chair Sue Edwards
Rotary Foundation Chair Victor E. Nieto
