Kiwanians Brandon Karaba and Romelle Vandervest are co-chairs of the 32nd Annual Kiwanis Winter Escapes Extravaganza. The event has raised over $380,000 for projects and programs that benefit Rhinelander area children and their families.

The Rhinelander Kiwanis Club is offering a night to forget about freezing rain and polar vortexes with its annual Winter Escapes Extravaganza fundraiser. Tickets are on sale now for the event, which has raised more than $380,000 in its 32-year existence for children’s organizations and family-oriented projects in the Rhinelander community. Winter Escapes takes place Saturday, March 2, at the Hodag Banquet Center. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the drawings begin at 6 p.m. Only 500 tickets will be sold for the event and are available from any Kiwanian, at People’s State Bank on Lincoln Street, or by calling 715-367-3715.

All tickets will be drawn during the evening with the last ticket drawn winning the grand prize of $2,000 cash; the 250th ticket drawn will win $1,000. Ten tickets drawn at random throughout the evening will win $100. Winners need not be present to win. Additionally, ticket holders will have the opportunity to win a door prize donated by area merchants. Also included in the evening are a live auction, cash raffles, beer, soda and hot sandwiches.

Past projects funded with money raised through Winter Escapes include the children’s art classroom at Rhinelander ArtStart, the greenhouse at the Rhinelander Food Pantry, purchase and installation of Pioneer Park playground equipment, construction of the lighted outdoor basketball court at Central School, the hiking trail at the YMCA and remodeling of the training kitchen at Headwaters, Inc. The Kiwanis donated $10,000 from last year’s Winter Escapes to help construct the new concession stand at Hodag Park.

Kiwanis is an international service organization dedicated to changing the world by serving children, one child and one community at a time.