OLDS — The Rotary Club of Olds gave out a total of $12,000 to eight local groups during its second Dragons' Den program, held Nov. 14 at the Air Cadet Hall.
Receiving money in varying amounts were the Pregnancy Care Centre (Olds), Mount View Special Riding Association, Community Learning Campus, Hope 4 MVC Kids, Bethany Care Centre, Legacy Land Trust, Olds Spartans Football Club and Clint’s Kitchen.
New this year was a requirement for each presentation to focus on at least one of the seven Rotary international areas of focus as a key component of their project.
Those areas of focus are: promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene, saving mothers and children, supporting education, growing local economies and protecting the environment.
Clint’s Kitchen, which serves meals each Wednesday to those who need them, got an extra $500 in Bonus Bucks, as it was determined to have the most outstanding presentation and its pitch covered several of those areas of focus.
“The attendance at their weekly community kitchen has grown substantially over the year they have been operating and Rotary is happy to help them keep up with the growth,” a Rotary Club of Olds news release says.
The event is modelled on CBC’s Dragons' Den, where competitors make pitches to entrepreneurs for money for their businesses.
Guest dragon Town of Olds Mayor Judy Dahl and Rotarian dragons Glenn Christianson and Patsy Hickok scored each presentation looking for the most creative and innovative pitch.
Each pitch was given five minutes to make their pitch to the dragons, a time period closely monitored by Rotarian Sandra Leatherdale.
— Mary Turner is a member of the Rotary Club of Olds.
