Rotary Club in Colorado's Summit County seeks support after weather melts down fundraising event

A record-low snow year in Summit County hasn't just impact ski resorts and water levels, it also hit one of the local community's biggest fundraisers.

At Dillon Reservoir, the Rotary Club of Summit County saw its annual Ice Melt fundraiser cut dramatically short. The event typically involves placing a large tank on the frozen lake and selling raffle tickets as people guess when it will fall through the ice. As you can imagine, this year went a little differently.

Warmer temperatures sped everything up. The tank was placed on the ice March 10 and fell through by March 25, weeks earlier than usual. In past years, the ice has held into mid-April, giving organizers far more time to sell tickets. Even putting the tank on the ice was more difficult this year. Instead of a hovercraft, crews had to use a sled, and safety teams were on standby due to unstable conditions.

Rotary Club President Judi LaPoint said most ticket sales usually come in the final weeks, when people feel confident guessing the melt date. With that window gone, she said the group likely lost two-thirds or more of its expected sales.

"It's a record setting year for us in terms of really not as many sales ... you know, just had a lot left to do," LaPoint said.

That loss comes at a tough time for the community of Summit County that the fundraiser supports. LaPoint explained the Rotary Club helps fund a range of programs, from literacy efforts to direct financial assistance. One of the biggest needs right now is food.

"We have noticed a big influx of people at those meals because the young people who were hired to work at the resorts, they're not getting full shifts," LaPoint said. "They weren't getting a full paycheck and that impacts their ability to buy food and to have good meals ... that's another safety net the rotary provides."

While the fundraiser is over for the season, the need it supports isn't going away. Rotary leaders said they will continue looking for ways to support Summit County residents navigating difficult economic stretches tied to the unusually warm winter, or just plain old needs.