PIRC gala charity night

Porches International Rotary Club (PIRC) celebrated their charter night with a gala dinner at Vila Vita Parc near Porches on October 30.

More than 100 Rotarians and their guests enjoyed a dinner followed by music and dancing with representatives from other Rotary Clubs attending the event, including members from the east Algarve clubs of Estoi Palace and Almancil.

During the event a raffle was held with money raised being donated to two local charities, the Bom Samaritano children´s home in Alvor and the recently formed ShelterBox Portugal, now part of the ShelterBox International organisation.

Miss Piggy is one of the new members of PIRC and attends all meetings and events with guests and members asked to feed her with money for the charity account of the club.

A presentation about the work of ShelterBox was given by Claire Larson from the Estoi Palace Rotary Club while Margarida Castanhito, the technical director from Bom Samaritano, gave a summary of the work undertaken by the children´s home which houses children deemed to be at risk by Social Services.

President of PIRC, Paul Lantau said: “The principal aim of Rotary is to raise money and support for those in need, both locally and around the world in an atmosphere of friendship and fellowship and tonight this has been achieved.”

He added: “We wish to thank everybody involved for their wonderful generosity and support with raffle ticket sales raising enough money to fund a ShelterBox at a cost of 750 Euros and also to provide the Bom Samaritano children´s home with financial help.”

Meanwhile, Miss Piggy, the club’s charity collection pig, has now been joined by Mr Piggy.

Mr Piggy will be enrolled as a friend of the Rotary and the two pigs will be used to collect funds during the next Rotary year with the winning pig being announced at the end of the year.

For further information about Porches International Rotary Club please email [email protected]