On February 7th, the Akron Rotary Club held its 25th annual Chili Open, and it proved to be the most successful year for the Special Children in our extended area.  The Chili Open is the Akron Club’s major fundraiser to support the Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs, and the proceeds of the event go to the Akon Rotary Foundation to support the Special Children.
 
The Rotary Camp is located at Rex Lake, and operated by the YMCA in collaboration with Akron Rotary.  In 2013, Akron Rotary completed a $3.5 million capital campaign to update the Rex Lake facilities.
 
Each summer at Rex Lake, there are overnight and day camp programs for children with special needs.  Founded in 1924 as primarily a polio camp, the Rotary Camp has evolved to serve children with a wide variety of disabilities, both physical and developmental.  There is also an affiliated day camp at Happy Day in Portage County, operated in collaboration with the Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities.  At both Rex Lake and Happy Days, the counselor:camper ratio is 2:6, so each camper receives individualized attention.
 
The Rotary Camp at Rex Lake has both land- and water-based activities.  The goals at both camps are to develop social skills; promote physical activity; increase independence; raise self-esteem, provide the opportunity to form relationships and just have fun. 
 
There are also adult programs at Rex Lake, as well as weekend respite programs for children throughout the year.  In 2014, the camps served over 1,800 children and adults with special needs.
 
No family is turned away for lack of financial resources, and in 2014 the Akron Rotary Foundation provided direct funding in excess of $150,000 so Special Children could attend Rotary Camp. That attendance funding is a mere fraction of the operating costs.  The Chili Open this year raised a record $186,000, and Rotary Camp is looking to serve a record number of campers in 2015. 
 
The Chili Open is a day of golf, chili and beverage.  It was held again this year at Hale Farm and Village.  The presenting sponsor once again was Wayne Homes.  The chili was provided by Whitey’s.  The beer cart was provided by House of Larose. Five 9-hole courses were set up, and a record 590 golfers participated. There were also mini-golf, hole-in-one (sponsored by Lambert Buick GMC), and chili-eating contest (sponsored by Akron Tractor) activities, along with entertainment (Beach Boyz Entertainment), the signature raffles, and some 100 door prizes.
 
The main raffle prizes included a 2015 Chevrolet Sonic (The VanDevere Bunch), 55-inch LG Smart HDTV (MAS, Inc.); Fox Sports Ohio/SportsTime Ohio Behind-the-Scenes Media Package at a 2015 Cleveland Indians game; and a 2015 Bridgestone Invitational Golf Package.  The ticket cost was $20, but each raffle ticket included a coupon worth $15 at BRAVO! at Summit Mall.  The Snowmania raffle (a separate drawing for $100 raffle ticket purchasers) sported a $50,000 prize for the winner if it snowed 6 inches on February 21st at Hale Farm.  All focus was on the snowfall on February 21st, but it fell just short at 5.16 inches.  New this year was a silent auction, which included a ride on the Goodyear blimp and other items.
 
Instrumental in this fundraising was a plethora of corporate sponsors.  In addition to the presenting sponsor, Wayne Homes, these included: Corporate Partners (BRAVO! Cucina Italiana; Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLC; Domokur Architects; Focal Point Social Media; OPOC.us; Rubber City Radio Group; Summit DD; and Willoughby Supply Co. Inc.) Premier Partners (ComDoc; Deer Pass Golf; Earnst & Young LLP; FirstEnergy; Industrial Tube & Steel Corporation; and Stand Up For Downs); and Caring Partners (Amer Insurance; Barrington Carpet & Flooring Design; Bruner-Cox LLP; First Energy Family Credit Union; The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company; Imperial Plastics, Inc.; Independence Financial Group; LD Carlson Company; Jim Redmond; Roetzel & Andress; and TNT Exterminating Co.).
 
Also instrumental were the numerous campership purchasers, ad purchasers, raffle ticket purchasers, and silent auction and door prize donors; as well as the air time provided by Rubber City Radio Group.  And the event could never have been successful without the incredible number of volunteers.  Our thanks goes out to all.
 
The Rotary Camp is not simply an “Akron” camp, but serves communities throughout Summit and adjoining counties, and beyond.  In 2014, approximately 40% of the campers served were outside Akron.  In recognition of this, Akron Rotary is proud to announce that numerous Rotary Clubs in the District directly supported the Chili Open through raffle ticket purchases, including: Aurora, Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls, Fairlawn, Hudson, Hudson Clocktower, Kent, Northampton, Port-Summit, Ravenna, Stow-Munroe Falls, Tallmadge and Wadsworth..
 
We plan to continue to build so the 26th in 2016 is better than ever!  Plan to participate and attend on February 6, 2016.  Thanks to everyone who supported our Special Children!
 
George & Jeff
 
 
 
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