27th Annual Alamo Heights
How would you like to put on a family oriented block party for over 10,000 neighbors, involve all of your Rotary Club members, provide outstanding fellowship opportunities, raise significant amounts of money for charity, and have fun doing it? In the late 1980's, the Alamo Heights Rotary Club, San Antonio, Texas, was looking for a project that would do that and more. From its modest beginnings in 1987, the event known as Alamo Heights Night® has developed into one of the most popular and highly respected events in the Fiesta City of San Antonio.
The event tag line is "It's Party time in ‘09"® ( the "09" being the locally recognizable last two digits in the Club's zip code 78209). By 1994, the event had grown sufficiently that the Rotary Club established a separate 501(c)(3) Texas Limited Liability Company with a Board of seven Rotarian managers to plan and coordinate Alamo Heights Night® and other fund raising activities for the Rotary Club. Planning is a year-around activity, and each of the managers supervises several of the committees responsible for the many activities that make it a successful event.
Involvement of the over 100 Rotary Club members in either or both the planning and conduct of the event has improved the fellowship and general interaction within the club. Everyone looks forward to playing a role in the event's success.
Alamo Heights Night® is an outdoor event which runs from 5:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. on a Friday night in late April. Normally, this is the first Friday night of Fiesta Week in San Antonio. For many years, the event was held in the vicinity of the Alamo Heights swimming pool. In 2010, the event was moved to the campus of the University of the Incarnate Word to permit the use of better facilities and to expand the venue. There is continuous entertainment from quality local bands and professional games and rides. There will be many new activities at the event in 2013. Especially exciting news is that we have partnered with Disney Radio for a three hour interactive entertainment package that will be enjoyed by kids of all ages. Over 750 volunteers from local businesses and non-profit organizations participate in the event. Local restaurants and non-profit organizations operate approximately 100 booths. The Club normally operates multiple park and ride locations in the area to reduce the problems of limited parking at the event site.
Funds are raised primarily from gate admissions, concession sales at the event, sponsor donations, and sale of merchandise such as T-shirts. Alamo Heights Night® has been very successful and the Club has raised almost $2,000,000 for charity and community service activities. The Club accepts applications from local charities; applications must be endorsed by one of the Club members. The applications are reviewed by the Club's Finance Committee and approved for distribution by the Board of Directors of the Alamo Heights Rotary Club. Beneficiaries include a wide range of local charities as well as the Club's scholarship program. Periodically, some of the funds raised are used to sponsor special projects for the local school district or other organizations. It is truly an exciting and rewarding opportunity to be able to put on an event that is enjoyed year after year by our community and at the same time benefits so many worthwhile causes.
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