Instead of a 60-foot by 220-foot tent that was destroyed in Wednesday’s storm, catering, the stage and auction items will be under a 40 x 80 tent, and attendees will sit under the shade of trees.
This year’s event has been the most challenging to organize due to the weather, but Scott Griffith, planning committee member, said “an army of people,” which includes two local football teams, is working hard to make sure it goes well.
“I’m just so proud of the group of people who are putting this on that said, ‘Hey, we are stronger together,’ ” Griffith said.
The funds raised at the event will support a wide range of initiatives, including student scholarships, leadership programs, and essential community services throughout Clark County and beyond.
The event raised $100,000 last year, with each nonprofit receiving $33,000. That was down compared to $129,000 in 2023 and $123,000 in 2022. About $25,000 was raised in 2021, the first year of the fundraiser.
The New Carlisle Rotary Club, founded in 1972, supports local schools, students, teachers and citizens through programs like Positive Behavior Intervention Support, as well as local groups and organizations like the New Carlisle Library, Quest Boy Scouts of America, Period Kits Ohio and the Salvation Army.
Tecumseh Strong, formed in 2019 after Tecumseh student Collin Griffin lost his battle with cancer in 2018, is focused on building leadership within the Tecumseh Local Schools and athletic community. Funds benefit student-athletes at the high school with scholarships, youth sports programs and leadership activities, as well as offering free opportunities for youth football and cheer.
The Barrett Strong Foundation, created in 2019 in memory of Barrett Fitzsimmons who was diagnosed with stage IV liver cancer when he was 6 years old, focuses on supporting pediatric cancer research, the hospital department that treated him, and families with children facing cancer. Funds also provide scholarships for Clark County students and support the Ronald McDonald House of Dayton.
The fundraiser’s auction will include online and live items, like jewelry from Heart of Ohio Antiques, a bourbon experience and a $15,000 value shower or bathroom remodel from Bath Masters. Food will be a steak dinner from grass-fed cows at the farm.
For more information, visit the website at www.strongertogether.one and the Stronger Together Facebook page at www.facebook.com/StrongerTogetherClarkCounty.
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