Rotary Club Malta recently held its main fundraising event of the Rotary year - a gala dinner at the Joinwell showroom in Qormi.

The event, attended by 275 people, raised €27,650 for the implementation of solar heating at Dar il-Kaptan respite home for people with a disability in Mtarfa and Caritas's San Blas Drug Rehabilitation Centre.

"This Rotary project results in year-on-year savings on electricity consumption for Dar il-Kaptan and San Blas, which will allow them to focus their financial resources on their core services to those in need while improving their carbon footprint," Rotary Club Malta president John de Giorgio said in his address.

"Rotary is proud to have been able to energise so many people to make a difference for this worthy cause."

The evening started with a reception during which guests had the opportunity to view paintings donated for auction by 12 of Malta's leading artists.

The contributing artists were: Jacqui Agius, Henry Alamango, George Apap, Celia Borg Cardona, John Borg Manduca, Marc England, Winston Hassall, Tonio Mallia, John Martin Borg, Joe Pace Ross, Arnold Sultana and Simon Theuma. The auction, conducted by John Cooper, raised €10,300.

This year also saw the participation of Rotarians from Rotary Club La Valette, Rotary Club Gozo, the Rotary Club of St Etienne, south-west of Lyon, and a group of 34 from the Rotary Club of Cassino in Lazio, Italy, with which a twinning agreement was signed.