Willow Grove Rotary Club Bets Big on Casino Night

In an ideal world, donating and giving back to the community would occur more often than just during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

One Willow Grove-area organization believes that giving should happen throughout the year. Since 1952, Rotary Club of Willow Grove has served the community by helping out area families, schools and businesses, as well as funding international aid.

“Bottom line … we are a service organization,” Thomas Carpenter, president of Willow Grove Rotary Club, said. “Most of the money we raise goes back into the local community.”

Community service, fellowship among members and business networking drives the organization’s mission.

Currently, Willow Grove Rotary Club boasts more than 40 members and meets every Thursday at 12:15 p.m. at Huntingdon Valley Country Club, located on 2295 Country Club Drive in Huntingdon Valley.

“If you enjoy giving back and doing things for other people, Willow Grove Rotary Club is a great place to be,” Sam Valenza, president of Upper Moreland Township’s Board of Commissioners and Willow Grove Rotary Club member, said.

The organization sponsors a plethora of organizations and programs in the Greater Willow Grove area, including Student of the Month at , , and Center School in Abington; and a scholarship toward college tuition each year to an Upper Moreland High School student.

The group's extensive contributions includes providing families in the community with Thanksgiving baskets for the holiday, funding a grade school’s Early Act Club and a high school’s Interact, helping four high school juniors to attend a leadership camp with their peers, and starting a drunk driving program for high school students.

“We delivered Thanksgiving baskets to more than 49 families last year in the Willow Grove area,” Carpenter said.

The Willow Grove Rotary Club also sponsors two exchange students and one outbound exchange student.

“This year, one Upper Moreland student is in Spain, and we have two students—one from Spain and one from Quebec—here at Upper Moreland,” Carpenter said. “The exchange program shows our commitment to local, as well as the international community.”

Carpenter added that the Rotary Club funded shelter boxes, a survival kit costing $1,000 that aids those affected by natural disasters, and also provides funding to eliminate polio.

In addition to Night at the Races and a Carnival night, events such as Casino Night help fund the Rotary Club of Willow Grove’s projects.

“Casino Night is one of our major fundraisers,” Valenza said. The money raised here goes directly back into the community.”

A $25 donation gives guests access to beer, wine soda and a buffet. Addition costs include $50 in entry chips with a “Pre-Event Ticket Donation” or $25 in entry chips with a “Day of Event Ticket Donation.”

The event will feature blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, Texas Hold’em, and slots, and chips can be exchanged for chances to win the prizes such as a 46-inch Sony TV, RCA a Blu-ray home theater system, an Acer Aspire Netbook, an Amazon Kindle and more.

“This is our fourth year putting on Casino Night,” Carpenter said. “We are always looking for more participants and table sponsors.”

All proceeds will benefit local communities.

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The Rotary Club of Willow Grove Casino Night:

Main Sponsor: Hatboro Federal Savings

Where: North Penn VFW, 2519 Jenkintown Road in Glenside

When: Sept. 30, from 6:30 to 11 p.m.

Tickets: For tickets and information, contact John Douglass at 215-675-4000 at Hatboro Federal Savings, or David Stephens at 631-704-2255.

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For more information on Rotary Club of Willow Grove, visit www.willowgroverotary.org. 

For more information on Rotary International, visit www.rotary.org.