Walmart helping Rotary with donation; Taste of Gumbo cancelled, raffle scheduled

Published 4:58 pm Friday, November 17, 2017

 

A major fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Port Arthur has been canceled due to Harvey damage at its usual venue but Walmart has stepped up to help in the club’s efforts to raise money through a raffle.

“Unfortunately, the annual Taste of Gumbo has had to be canceled due to damage at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center from Tropical Storm Harvey,” Debra Poindexter, treasurer and club coordinator for the club, said. “The event was scheduled for February 2018 and unfortunately the Rotary Club was unable to find an affordable venue on such short notice.”

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The Taste of Gumbo is a large, sprawling affair, offering items for silent auction, gumbo tastings and giveaways, and tickets sell fast. The event draws hundreds of people together and it is a keystone Rotary fundraiser and the money raised goes to a slew of local nonprofits.

The money helps organizations like Community Care Prayer Outreach, United Board of Missions, the Capland Center and the Willie Carter Center as well contributing to scholarships to Lamar State College Port Arthur, she said.

So, it is an important event not just to Rotary but to half a dozen nonprofits and hundreds of needy people.

Without the popular Taste of Gumbo fundraising event, club members began to brainstorm on how to raise the money needed by the local organizations and they decided to ask Walmart if they could donate a TV — and the company stepped up to the plate to help by donating a 60-inch Vizio 4K Ultra HD TV to be used for a raffle.

“We’re just glad to help,” Mark Antilley, manager at Walmart on U.S. 69, said.

Antilley knows that many people were adversely affected by Harvey, including his own associates at the store.

“I’m just glad to work for a company that allows me to make these decisions,” he said.

Jose Martinez, president of the Rotary Club, said it is organizations such as Walmart that help organizations such as the Rotary Club and without such partners they would not be able to help others.

Johnny Brown, past vice-president of the club was on hand for the big donation. He elaborated a bit on just how much Walmart, both the U.S. 69 location and the Twin City Highway location, have helped in the past.

The store on Twin City has donated about $5,000 in the past 12 to 13 months and the U.S. 69 location has donated several thousand dollars as well.

“And now we come back today too pick up a 60-inch TV,” Brown said.

The donation was originally to be a 55-inch “smart” TV but Antilley upped the donation to the 60-inch.

He also wanted to give a shout out to Debbie Breaux, the Twin City location store manager.

Poindexter said the club would sell raffle tickets at $5 each for a chance to win the TV. They are hoping to sell at least 1,000 tickets or more. That amount would enable the club to continue to support various community charities.

Tickets will be available beginning in January and the drawing will be held in March 2018. Tickets will be available through any Rotary member.

Businesses that would like to donate something toward the raffle can contact Poindexter at 1516dgbb@gmail.com.