Rotary Club of McHenry cancels Blues, Brews & BBQ festival
The Rotary Club of McHenry has canceled this year's Blues, Brews & BBQ festival because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event would have run Aug. 14 to 16 in Petersen Park. The club plans to bring back the festival, which would have been its ninth year, in the future.
The fest funds grants to charities, including the Northern Illinois Food Bank and Family Health Partnership Clinic. It also supports local youth leadership programs, Advanced Placement testing scholarships for McHenry and Johnsburg high school students, and international causes, including polio eradication and disaster relief.
It has generated roughly $300,000 over eight years.
Rotary Club members now are in the process of issuing emergency grants to help organizations reaching out to those in need in the pandemic. The club is giving $2,000 to Home of the Sparrow, $2,000 to FISH Food Pantry, $1,000 to TLS Veterans and $1,000 to Pioneer Center for Human Services.
For details or to help out, email rotaryclubofmchenry@gmail.com.