By David Taylor / Managing editor
CLOVERLEAF — The smell of seasoned crawfish and hot oil drifted across the North Shore Rotary Pavilion last Saturday as volunteers in aprons moved in practiced rhythms: trays out, tickets torn, raffle stubs collected, silent-auction sheets checked and rechecked.
For the public, it’s a single-day tradition — a plate of catfish or crawfish, a chance at a raffle prize and a few hours visiting with neighbors. For the Rotarians who build the event, it’s much more than that.
“This is a three-day event. Most people don’t know that,” said David Proctor, chairman of the fundraiser. “Only one day of those is when the public is actually there and sees what’s going on. So, they miss the Friday and they miss the Sunday events,” otherwise known as setup and cleanup.
North Shore Rotary’s annual Crawfish Boil and Catfish Fry marked its 51st year this spring, continuing a long-running fundraiser that supports the club’s charitable work in the community. While final totals were still being calculated in the days after the event, Proctor said early sales figures were strong heading into Saturday.
“We don’t have all the numbers in yet,” Proctor said, explaining that the club typically tries to have totals ready by the Thursday before the event so it can recognize top sellers, but that wasn’t possible this year. “We’re still calculating numbers and all that kind of stuff.”
Even so, by the time Rotarians gathered for their Thursday meeting before the fundraiser, Proctor said the club had already collected $176,718 in total sales, not including several other pools of money made at the fundraiser and in sponsorships.
“That was as of Thursday,” he said.
Proctor broke down that preliminary total as $47,218 in meal ticket sales and $129,500 in raffle ticket sales.
As the lines formed and the kitchen crew worked through the midday rush Saturday, Proctor said the event ran smoothly — especially compared with years when volunteer coverage thinned at key times.
“We didn’t have any issues at all,” Proctor said. “There was no shortage of volunteers at any point in time during the day. Everybody came in and out of their shifts, and we had enough coverage everywhere, so it went very, very smoothly.”
Proctor credited volunteer coordinator Darryl Painter’s plan to stagger shifts for helping keep stations fully staffed. Last year’s event used about 400 volunteers, Proctor said, and early counts indicated the club likely had at least that many — “probably a few more” — this year.
The day also arrived after a rainy week, but the grounds held up.
“The weather did hold out for us, which was a blessing,” Proctor said. “Even though it had rained so much during the week, it wasn’t too muddy.”
Beyond food and raffle tickets, the event’s auctions remain a significant part of the fundraiser. Proctor said the silent auction appeared to be a complete sell-through this year.
“I know we had a lot of good items, and so far, as I recollect, everything got purchased,” he said. “That’s always a good sign, too.”
He praised the volunteers who run the silent auction, singling out a longtime organizer.
“Margie (Buentello) and her crew do a phenomenal job and I’m so proud of what she does,” Proctor said. “Margie comes in, she does her thing and everybody’s happy. We’ve never had any incidents.”
The event’s live auction also drew major attention, he said, noting the behind-the-scenes work required to line up items and stage them effectively.
“Bill Palko spent countless hours… putting together the live auction,” Proctor said. “I learned so much about live auctions — the placement of the items on the list and the mannerism to which they’re auctioned off.”
Proctor highlighted a standout item: a patriotic quilt donated by Palko’s wife.
“She made a patriotic one that was extremely beautiful,” Proctor said. “I know it went for quite a bit, and we were happy about that.”
Other items often gain interest because of their community or civic ties. Proctor said Texas state Rep. Anna Hernandez donates a Texas flag each year that has been flown over the State Capitol, calling it “a hot item.” He also said a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol and donated through U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia was part of this year’s mix.
“Those are neat items,” Proctor said, “because that’s not something that you can just… go get.”
The fundraiser also has a built-in connection to local youth programs, including FFA. Proctor said the club purchases items at area FFA auctions to support students — and then, in some cases, those purchases return as auction items, creating a cycle that benefits both students and the Rotary fundraiser.
“They play a vital role in our operation, each FFA,” Proctor said.
But the club’s involvement, he added, isn’t only financial.
“Another reason for going to FFA is we get to be face-to-face with the kids and we get to be face-to-face with their parents and their sponsors,” Proctor said. “To me… that is also important that they know that we’re there for them.”
Community partner groups help shoulder the workload, too. Proctor praised YouthReach volunteers for showing up in force and staying on task.
“When they come in, they’re there to work. They have never failed us,” Proctor said.
The heavy lift for Rotarians begins long before gates open on Saturday. Friday is the big setup day — moving equipment, arranging tables, getting stations set, and making sure the pavilion is ready for a crowd.
“We normally have around 55 to 60 of our members on Friday to help do what we do,” Proctor said, adding that the number varies between 40 and 65. “This year… for the most part, everybody showed up.”
By the end of the day, he said, the club was in good shape.
And as soon as one event ends, the next planning cycle begins. Proctor said the club was already nudging next year’s chair to start thinking ahead.
Leave a Comment