ROTARY RAFFLE ROCKS THE BARGE TO THE TUNE OF $6,600 WITH 5 WINNERS

GRAVENHURST — A Rotary Rocks the Barge raffle was music to the ears of the service club as winners rode off on a pair of new e-bikes in a fundraiser that hit a high note with net proceeds of $6,618 going to the club’s new amphitheatre seating at the poplar Sunday night concert venue.

With about 1,400 tickets sold — at a great deal of $5 each or 5 for $20 — five people had their names drawn at the final show of the season Aug. 13.

Kelli Gladu and Bob Jacobs received the two men’s and women’s e-bikes donated the club.

Judy Leadbetter won a copper birdfeeder, Elaine Hibben a second smaller bird feeder and John Twist took away four tickets to last weekend’s Muskoka Discovery cocktail party opening their super new Misko-Aki Muskoka-First Nations display.

Rotary is celebrating its 85th year of community service by spearheading the five-rows of rock seating on the grassy banks of Gull Lake in front of the Barge and in front of the swimming beach.

So far they’ve raised about $350,000 from donors and donations are still being taken. Those who give more than $1,000 will have their name inscribed in a donor rock.

After close to a year of planning and coming up with engineering drawings, the Town of Gravenhurst is to release its RFP (requests for proposal) early in September. That will give landscapers and related companies the opportunity to bid on the project.

Plans are to do the work this fall and have it ready for next summer’s concert series and special events at Rotary Gull Lake Park.

Rotarian Dave Reid rolled the drum (borrowed from the Lions) Aug. 13 for the club’s Rotary Rocks the Barge fundraiser for amphitheatre seating next summer.
Mayor Heidi Lorenz helped pick the five winners of prizes including two e-bikes, two birdfeeders and four Muskoka Discovery Centre gift certificates. Photos Rotarian Kathryn McGill.
Five rows of rock seating are planned for construction later this fall, replacing the grassy hill that for seven decades people could just throw a blanket down or just sit on and watch the Sunday night concerts.
The seating will stretch north in front of the swimming area and be available for other park and waterfront events.
Summer Barge concerts in Gravenhurst at Sunday night tradition in Gravenhurst since after the Second World War that have drawn hundreds of thousands of music lovers.
A Blues Brothers revue band ended the season two weeks ago.
Many fans are happy to sit back among the tall pines only able to see the performers if they stand. But can still hear, enjoy and take in the relaxed atmosphere that can’t be beaten.
Fans of Jake and Elwood Blues came to the concert donning their black fedoras in honour of the awesome 1980 ‘Blues Brothers’ movie.