Irish Christmas … in a New Light
Irish Christmas … in a New Light
Rotary Club will continue to provide for families thanks to creative fundraising.
As snow threatens to settle and trees turn bare, the town of Ellicottville shifts into winter mode. Boots are broken out, summer tires are replaced, and calendars begin to fill with a plethora of lovely holiday traditions unique to the area. Bob McCarthy’s Irish Christmas, a seasonal highlight, is a hallmark of Ellicottville generosity and compassion. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Ellicottville, the event serves to raise funds for initiatives like Rotary-sponsored Santa’s Workshop and the Cattaraugus County Sheriffs’ Santa Program. McCarthy, a master craftsman, friend to the Rotary and passionate philanthrope, is honored each year by the community togetherness embodied by Irish Christmas. The auctioning of baked goods, hand-crafted items, and neat finds from local businesses allow both Santa’s Workshop and the Sheriff’s Department’s Santa Program to provide holiday presents and meals to local families in need.
This year, McCarthy’s Irish Christmas will still take place … with a few adjustments.
“In light of the pandemic,” said a recent Rotary press release, “it does not make sense to do a live event like we have in previous years. However, we do want to keep the spirit alive for 2020.”
Now more than ever, families are in need of a little holiday happiness; the pandemic has presented unique challenges on every front. The Rotary Club hopes that Ellicottville’s unshakeable powerhouse community will open its heart and donate at www.ellicottvillerotary.com or on the Rotary Facebook page. A little goes a long way!
On top of that, more than 15 auction pieces will be on display at many of Ellicottville’s local businesses. Among the treasures are Bob McCarthy woodworking originals and special creations from Ed Frederickson and Hughey Dunn. Each item will be on display from November 27th through December 18th, both in town and at www.brookslefeberauctions.com. Be on the lookout for Bob’s Unique Magical Rocking Horse at Katy’s Café! A full list of auction items will be published by Thanksgiving, after which anyone can bid online or in-person at a local business.
The auction itself will take place on Friday, December 18th at 7:00pm. This will be a live online event hosted by Brooks Lefeber Auctions (www.brookslefeberauctions.com) with commentary via Facebook Live.
If you would like to bake an item for the baked goods auction, contact Katy Arena at Katy’s Café (716-699-8860) by Thursday, November 26th.
Bob always found a way to make the holidays magical … and this year is no exception. In August of 2016, about 2 months after he passed away, Anne Northrup created bracelets that read “WWBD?” (What Would Bob Do?). This question, a guiding light for those who knew the charismatic gentleman, allowed the community to rise to the occasion, together filling the void of his absence. This year, as straightforward solutions constantly absented themselves, that question became all the more important. Thanks to the Rotary Club of Ellicottville, Brooks Lefeber, local businesses, solid supporters, and community-members, this year’s reimagined Irish Christmas keeps Bob’s favorite event alive and well.