ChickenFest 2026 A Success -Best in 3 Years!
Lunch Sales up!
Bulk Sales up!
Donations up!
Chicken for Kids - we met our commitment!
50/50 - net revenue contributor
Expenses projected to be down
Bottom line estimated 12% better than last year!
(all the above subject to final tally by our resdient bean counter Terry Cooper)
Congratulations to RCWW!
Under the guidance of co-chairs Foghorn Leghorn & Panchito, the 2026 ChickenFest Committee delivered an egg-ceptional annual fund-raiser.
Beginning with our launch party on March 26 (dedicated to Ernie Halligan) at a great venue courtesy of the Children's Rehabilitation Foundation (CRF) and food provided by Chicken Delight (CD), cupcakes for dessert (Brook got us a great deal), and the evening emceed by Nicole Dube we got off to a great start with special guests from our Manitoba Government, the 191 Air Cadets Squadron and the Westminster Housing Society. Prizes abounded provided by CD, CRF and Raman Talwar. A fun evening with games of skill and visiting with friends & fellow Rotarians.
Throughout the next 5 weeks CRF & CD helped promote ChickenFest with print media, social media, and radio interview opportunities. We even had an appearance on CTV's Your Morning show.
Additional media coverage was enjoyed in the Winnipeg Free Press due to Kelly Ryback's press release and Fred Morris's article chronicling 75 years of our fund raiser.
Rotarians rose to the occasion by selling and encouraging donations to make this a great year.
Stan Rybuck & Jack Peterson toiled over the migration of data from our online ordering system to our ChickenFest management system. Stan made sure that all orders were properly coordinated with CD and delivered on time.
Alan Goddard did an exceptional job of organizing drivers and working with the Cadets to get their huge order delivered.
Kelly Ryback championed the 50/50 Draw from set-up to working with LGCA to the final draw. Kelly has some thoughts & recommendations to make this a staple of future ChickenFests; a revenue growth opportunity for sure.
Brook Jones' professional photography & videography skills and other new creative & innovative ideas helped immensely with our promotional efforts.
President Bob provided his usual support and helped spread the word to the other Rotary Clubs and was the main contact with the Westminster Housing Society.
As we wrap up this year, we also want to recognize Terry Cooper for his bean counting skills, not to mention his and Enid Cooper's work on keeping Ernie's usual customers as supporters. Ernie must have been looking down us to make sure everything ran smoothly.
Foghorn & Panchito want to express our great thanks & appreciation for a job well done to everyone involved. It was so much fun, we'll do it again next year!
