Martinborough Fairs Produce Profit of $100,000 in 2020
The Martinborough Fairs in 2020 made a record profit of $100,000.
The two annual Fairs are organised by South Wairarapa Rotary, and the proceeds are used by South Wairarapa Rotary to support the community in South Wairarapa.
South Wairarapa Rotary president Brian Baxter acknowledged the support of the Martinborough businesses and locals in supporting the Martinborough Fairs. “We know the Fairs cause a bit of a disruption, and the Fairs couldn’t go ahead without local support. So we are extremely grateful to the locals for their indulgence and support. Hopefully this record profit and the resulting benefit it will bring to the local community makes up for any disruption. Locals can know that they have played an important part in this fund-raising effort to help their community”.
South Wairarapa Rotary have been running the Fairs in Martinborough since they began in 1977. Stall-holders pay a fee to Rotary for their site at the Fair and it is this money, less the expenses of running the Fairs, that then becomes available to Rotary to spend. Over the years it is estimated that the Fairs have earned nearly $3m in todays money for Rotary, with this year’s profit being the highest annual profit ever.
The Fairs started as modest events in 1977, with just 35 stalls. This year there were over 500 stalls and the two Fairs are a major event in Martinborough every year, attracting tens of thousands of visitors, most of who come from outside of Wairarapa.
South Wairarapa Rotary uses the money raised from the Fair for a wide variety of community grants, with a strong focus on youth and education. Brian said almost 40 projects received funding from South Wairarapa Rotary in the last 12 months. “Most of those were local projects; for example we recently gave $4,000 to help the Food Bank in Featherston prepare for what is likely to be extra demand as a result of Covid19. And we also provided educational supplies to local school students stuck at home during the lockdown. But we also spend some money internationally, particularly in the Pacific Islands, on various humanitarian and disaster relief projects”.
Brian said the focus for South Wairarapa Rotary for the next 12 months would be on using the $100,000 to further assist the South Wairarapa community with projects that help the community recover from Covid19.
Community organisations who may wish to apply for some of this money can contact Rotary via its website swrotary.org.nz
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