Carved in Ice Rotary hands out prizes for festival
The Butler AM Rotary handed out the prizes from the annual Carved in Ice festival and celebrated raising $23,000 to benefit children and families in need.
The 50/50 drawing winner, Ryan Chuba of Butler Township, was presented with the $4,478 prize, which was the largest in the four years the festival has been held.
“It was our biggest 50/50 ever,” said Peggy Weckerly, who heads the club's fundraiser.
Chuba said he was surprised to win.
“You don't really expect to when you buy the ticket, especially when it's that big,” he said.
This is the second year he has attended the festival and said he plans to put his winnings toward his home renovation project.
“I'm in the process of redoing my house so I'm sure a lot of it will go to that,” Chuba said.
Prizes from drawings at previous festivals ranged from $760 to $850. This year, club members sold tickets before the event to raise the pot and that resulted in increased ticket sales during the event, Weckerly said.
In addition to the 50/50 prize, the Best Ice Sculpture trophy was presented to R.P. Musko & Associates for the ice vase with flowers entry donated by The Butler Florist. The People's Choice Best Chili award went to the Monroe Hotel and the Judge's Choice for Best Chili went to Kings Restaurant.
Proceeds from the festival, the club's biggest fundraiser that was held Feb. 23 in Diamond Park, totaled $23,000, which also was the highest in the event's history.
A large portion of the proceeds support the club's “Save the Playground” campaign for Butler Memorial Park and the Butler School District Weekend Backpack program. The remainder enables the club to support local nonprofit organizations that help children and families in need. Last year the club donated more than $40,000.
The club spent proceeds from last year's festival on a piece of new playground equipment for the park and anticipates needing more than $100,000 to buy more equipment to make the park accessible to children with disabilities, Weckerly said.
“The playground is hugely expensive to do it right. Kids in wheelchairs have to be able to get to the equipment. Our goal is to do this and do it well,” she said.
After the equipment is installed, the club will be responsible for its maintenance.
She thanked Diehl Toyota, which has been the primary festival sponsor since its inception, and the 78 other businesses that purchased ice sculptures, made donations or served as vendors, and the thousands of people who attended.
“I am so proud of our group and our members for giving so much of their time and effort to our club. And a big shout out to Diehl Toyota and all the businesses who purchased or sponsored ice at our event. Without their support, none of the good we do would be possible,” said Joyce Cully, club president.
Next year's festival is scheduled Feb. 22.
