Among the live auction items, notably, a new roof donated by Mike Lambro, Lambro Construction, fetched $10k. Including the dessert dash for cash, the silent and live auctions, and raise-the-paddle to donate, the auction produced net proceeds of approximately $55k.
Funds raised at the auction, and at the next Club fun and fund-raising event (the 16th Annual Swing for Rotary Golf Tournament, June 23), support Rotary’s initiatives to improve our communities here at home and around the world. Locally, we support the Kingston Boys and Girls Club, Scouts, Food4Kids, Kingston Cares, North Kitsap Schools, Stillwaters Environment Center, Kitsap Homes of Compassion, and more.
At the event, auctioneer Clint Boxman, Club member and former President, announced a major initiative being undertaken by Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club.
To lead efforts to build a 20-acre youth sports complex in the Kingston area. The vision is for outdoor fields for multiple sports, and an indoor sports facility. Obviously a big undertaking, the project will need the support of the entire community, grant funds from outside, and buy-in from multiple stake-holders.
Kingston has grown, and continues to grow rapidly, but much of our infrastructure has not grown accordingly, with increased population. Right now, our youth have very little access to fields to practice on, and to play games on. They are left with practice times after dark, and families must travel to neighboring towns for all games. Kingston North Kitsap Rotary would like to see this change.
According to Club member, and active Chamber of Commerce member, Nancy Martin, “this is not only a great opportunity for families in our community, but businesses as well. If we can host things like tournaments, it brings visitors from out of town to eat at our restaurants and shop at our stores. The sports complex would provide excellent opportunities for economic growth.”
Much of the visioning and research for the sports complex has been produced by Boxman. It was he who laid out the scale and possibilities of such at the Rotary auction. Community members who would like to be involved in the planning, fundraising, etc, are encouraged to reach out to Boxman (clint.boxman@ampf.com). Like the Village Green Community Center, this project is starting with a dream, a vision, a goal. It will require more than money. It requires motivated people, who are passionate about youth sports and economic growth in our community.