McMurray Rotary’s Evening of Fun and Games raises money for philanthropy

No matter what age, there is always room for an evening of fun and games.
And so the McMurray Rotary Club presents an Evening of Fun and Games, for folks who don’t happen to be kids anymore, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. May 10 at Lindenwood Golf Club in North Strabane Township.
The Peters Township club’s annual gala serves as the main fundraising activity for its philanthropic efforts, with about $30,000 awarded each year to nonprofit organizations.

Entertainment at the event was by On the Level, pictured from left, Jim Gregorakis, Tarah Adams, John Sarkis and Nick Scanga.
On the heels of last year’s successful Diner En Blanc, the 2019 version will feature more of a carnival-type atmosphere, with plenty of opportunities to play games and win prizes.
One popular form of entertainment at the event is a cash-grab booth, Rotarian Colleen Dachille, who’s chairing the event, said.
“The money blows around, and whoever grabs the most gets a chance to collect a $30,000 jackpot,” she said. “You go in and your feet have to stay on footprints. You can’t move around. And you can’t pick anything up off the floor. You have to grab it in the air.”
What participants grab falls into the realm of Monopoly money. But when the totals are added, whomever comes out on top has the opportunity for the real thing, as long as he or she chooses the correct cards to match up for the winning combination.
Also on the evening’s agenda will be a golfing competition that involves tossing balls off the balcony instead of swinging a long piece of metal, with whoever gets closest to the hole winning. Those who remember the Rotary golf-ball tosses at the former Rolling Hills Country Club can look forward to giving it another shot.
Then there’s “heads or tails,” and you have to use your hands to signal exactly what you’re calling. So there won’t be a repeat of Jerome Bettis’ verbal ambiguity that cost the Steelers a coin flip, and the game, at Detroit on Thanksgiving 1998.
And get ready to be amazed by George Williams and his “Art Madness” action painting. Watch him in action as he comes up with a creation on the spot, and get ready to bid on the three paintings he’ll finish during the gala.
In addition, the event will feature an array of items for silent and Chinese auctions, along with “mystery boxes.” Pony up $100 for what’s inside the mystery box, and it may be worth as much as $350.
Or maybe not.
In the meantime, eat, drink, be merry and groove to the music of On the Level, who play crowd favorites from the ’50s through today.
For more information, visit www.mcmurrayrotary.com.