Lobsterfest was as delicious as it was impactful, thanks to a very generous community, raising tens of thousands

Lobsterfest has been a premier fundraising event in the community for over twenty years. Run
exclusively by volunteers and immensely supported by the community, businesses and
residents alike, the annual event raises tens of thousands of dollars that are then spent locally
for the betterment of all.
In 1997, Whitecourt residents Brian and Terri Dixon attended a Lobsterfest event in Spruce
Grove organized by that city’s Rotary Club chapter. “The fundraiser did very well. They came
back to town and said they were going to charter a Rotary Club in Whitecourt,” explained
Whitecourt Lobsterfest chair Rotarian Nevis Prufer.
“To start a Rotary Club, you have to be chartered or recommended by another club, so the
Spruce Grove Club ended up chartering Whitecourt, which means they helped and supported
us through the first year of being a club. Then, a few years later, the Whitecourt Rotary Club did
its first Lobsterfest.” Prufer said everyone was nervous but that the event was successful,
bringing in $20,000 in year one.
Fast forward to 2024, and Lobsterfest has grown in popularity and support. The average amount
fundraised during the event is around $70,000. The highest year on record was $102,000.
“Every year we do it, we make more and more improvements and are more seasoned. We want
it to be the premier event in Whitecourt. Top-notch,” she said.
Holly Astill, Service Projects Coordinator for the Whitecourt club, said they are always
overwhelmed by the community’s generosity. “We show up with our Rotary outfits on, and
people know that the money they are going to donate is going to go back into the community
because they can see it. They can see Festival Park. They can see the chalet at Eastlink Park.
They can see all of the actual physical things that we support.”
The Whitecourt Rotary Club creates a wish list of events it would like to hold or support each
year and creates a budget of around $70,000. Then, they fundraise for it. “Lobsterfest is our
main fundraiser that supports everything we want to do,” said Astill.
The Whitecourt Rotary Club holds free swimming at the AJMC, free skating at JDA Place, and
free range days at the golf course. It also offers scholarships, adventure programs, and camps
like the Summer Unplugged Program and the Rotary Music Festival. They’ve also greatly
supported Festival Park. “We’ve put over 1.2 million dollars back into the community,” said
Prufer.
All those things are thanks to the community’s generosity for attending, volunteering, and
donating. Lobsterfest requires over one thousand hours of volunteer time, including setting up,
hosting the event night, and taking everything down. These hours don’t account for speaking
with businesses and collecting donations, among other things.
“We are a service club. We are all volunteers and attached to Rotary International, so numerous
international programs are in place. However, our club’s major focus is always in our community,
specifically families, children, seniors, and literacy. Those are our main topics of focus, and

that’s where the money goes.” As volunteers, there are no administrative fees to eat away at
fundraised dollars, meaning the club utilizes every cent raised.
If the club happens to raise more than what they need in their yearly budget, they do more
things! “It’s so rewarding, and it makes all the work worthwhile because then we know that we
have made enough money to fund our budget and do all the projects. We have a huge wish list,
and we can’t do it without the support of businesses. I’m so proud to be a Rotary member and to
say that we did this as volunteers, as a club, and through teamwork,” said Prufer.
On Saturday, May 4, the delectable scent of lobster, cooked impeccably by a few hardworking
East Coast chefs, wafted around St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Hall as 320 guests awaited the
highly anticipated feast. As maritime lobsters began making their way out of the kitchen, the
Rotarians watched as smiling attendees graciously received their plates.
“We have twenty-eight members,” said Prufer of the Whitecourt club. “But we couldn’t do this
without our spouses, significant others, and those who show up and offer to help. I’m just
amazed by the support we get from this community. They are amazing.” Astill agreed. “Even
though it’s a huge amount of work, like Nevis mentioned, it’s also fun. It’s fellowship, and it’s
joining the community. It’s amazing to see such a community event come together.”
Both women had lots of “thank you’s” to give out, from their fellow Rotarians to those who
assembled things or helped decorate the hall, to those who worked on the technology to ensure
the PowerPoint presentation worked, and to the lobster cookers who ensured the crustaceans
were delicious. “We also have an amazing caterer, Ray and Sherry. They have catered for us for
eighteen years, and their food is amazing,” said Astill. She also thanked St. Joseph’s church for
being accommodating and generous.
Astill said those who attend are generous beyond words. “Often, the same people who have
donated to the event will then come as attendees. The people who come open their wallets and
hearts and have a blast. Attendees even help us clean up at the end, so they are amazing.”
This year’s event, with over 300 guests and a bigger 50/50 than last year, brought in $90,000,
well over the average, and will enable the Whitecourt Rotary Club to add to their wish list
instead of removing anything from it. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Without you, all this is
not possible,” said Prufer.