Rotary Club of Katy Raises Over $150,000 at 2023 Wild West Brewfest
The 2023 Wild West Brewfest was an excitement-filled weekend, topped off with a record-breaking amount of money raised by the Rotary Club of Katy for worthy causes. Thanks to the support of participating brewers, volunteers, vendors, sponsors, and patrons, over $150,000 was raised.
Next year’s event will be Saturday, March 23, 2024. Expected to be the biggest yet, the next Wild West Brewfest already has over 100 brewers ready to go. In 2022, the Rotary Club of Katy crossed over $1 million in proceeds from ten WWBF events, and their goal is to hit the $2 million mark in the next three years. Every dollar of proceeds is given back to the local community. If you weren’t one of the 1,200 that came, mark your calendars for the Launch Party on March 22, 2024.
Wild West Brewfest 2023 was met with beautiful weather. The Silent Auction raised over $20,000 and all Activation Zones and bands were very popular and held great crowds. With over 6,000 patrons joining the fun throughout the day, attendees enjoyed 95 brewers and over 630 beers, as well as ten different wineries. The VIP Hop House had amazing food and drinks, and the Reserved Craft Room featured delicious, rare beers. If you haven’t experienced these areas within WWBF, be sure to get tickets for next year.
The top food vendor winner for Wild West Brewfest 2023 was American Federal Grill, and True Anomaly took home the big trophy this year for best beer. Nearly 300 volunteers, as well as many Katy Rotarians, came to support the effort.
As a fundraising event through and through, no one takes any fee to run this event. Every dollar earned is given way so that the Rotary Club of Katy can positively impact as many as possible. The first round of deployment of funding from Wild West Brewfest 2023 includes the following contributions:
Arc of Katy - $5,000
The Arc of Katy provides individuals with intellectual and development disabilities a sense of pride and accomplishment as well as social experiences that these individuals may not receive. They provide outings, social events, promote physical fitness and good health and engagement with the community. To learn more, visit thearcofkaty.org.
Boy Scouts of America - $1,500
The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. To learn more, visit scouting.org.
Christ Clinic - $5,000 (in addition to district HOC grant of $7,500)
Christ Clinic is a local 501(c)3 non-profit clinic that can provide the uninsured, underinsured and their families with access to primary care and mental health counseling that they wouldn't otherwise be able to access and/or afford. To learn more, visit christclinickaty.org.
Elijah Rising - $2,500
Sponsor their gala which supports the fight against sex trafficking. Elijah Rising was founded in 2012 as a prayer gathering that focused on ending sex trafficking in Houston. Across Houston women and girls were being sold for sex, but there was little outcry, so Elijah Rising began hosting Van Tours and showing the public that sex trafficking is happening across our city. To learn more, visit elijahrising.org.
Hope Impacts - $2,500
Hope Impacts connect those experiencing homelessness with organizations that provide safe housing, showers, meals, food pantries, medical services, dental services, etc. By providing a safe environment, intentional community partnerships, a vast referral and resource system, meeting basic essential needs, providing connection and ongoing relationship building opportunities to walk the journey of life together, they have been honored and privileged to help over 180 people get off the streets in the Katy Community since 2016 when they began operating full time. To learn more, visit hopeimpacts.org.
Hospital La Vega - $1,500
This reading program is initially targeting 100 children ages 3-5 in the Tuskegee/Mason County area. It has been developed by the 1973 graduates from Tuskegee University. They will be holding one ReadtoME activity each week with HeadStart, Pre-K schools and Day Care Nurseries. Books will be available for the children and a record keeping system is in place for them to win awards for time spent reading or being read to. There is also a YouTube site for the children to connect to and have books read to them. This increases the reach in a big way. Grant will be used to purchase books for the program in September of this year.
KCM - $1,000
Alleviating poverty, preventing homelessness and evictions via our Social Services Department. Providing crisis intervention and counseling for victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse via our Crisis Center. Providing basic necessities like clothing, furniture, and household items through vouchers via our Resale Stores. To learn more, visit ktcm.org.
ReadtoME - $500
This reading program is initially targeting 100 children ages 3-5 in the Tuskegee/Mason County area. It has been developed by the 1973 graduates from Tuskegee University. They will be holding one ReadtoME activity each week with HeadStart, Pre-K schools and Day Care Nurseries. Books will be available for the children and a record keeping system is in place for them to win awards for time spent reading or being read to. There is also a YouTube site for the children to connect to and have books read to them. This increases the reach in a big way. Grant will be used to purchase books for the program in September of this year. To learn more, visit readtomeintl.org.
YMCA SAW Water Safety Program - $5,000
SAW is composed of eight 30-minute sessions to reduce the risk of drowning by giving children confidence in and around water. The program is geared for unintended entries into the water and safety. Our goal is that if a child falls in, they can swim, float swim, tread, and exit the water. The levels build on skill sequences to enable a child to help save themselves or tread/float long enough for help to arrive. They teach this at apartment complexes in Katy. To learn more, visit fcymca.org.
To learn more about the Rotary Club of Katy and how you can be a part of their charitable impact in the Katy community, please visit katyrotary.com.
Source: RCOK
