Like many other events during 2020, the Bethlehem Rotary Club’s annual Tastes and Tunes fundraiser had to adapt due to COVID and was held virtually. It took the form of a two-week dessert auction utilizing local businesses and soliciting sponsors, according to event chair Jill Long. In addition to raising funds, the October timeframe also highlighted the bakeries and increased foot traffic at a time when it was really needed to sustain businesses impacted by the pandemic. Twenty-one bakeries and restaurants participated and interest generated over 350 hits on the Rotary event website.

The committee was chaired by Long, who was joined by her husband Jerry, Deb Walter, Deb and Jim Geiger, Peter Leese and Dave Erickson. A total of $26,000 was raised, with $13,000 given to the Bethlehem Rotary Foundation for community grants and $13,000 donated to the Northeast Community Center’s food bank.

Thirteen area organizations received community grants: Angel 34, Inc.; Ballet Guild of Lehigh Valley, Inc.; Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering, Inc.; Celtic Cultural Alliance; Center for Humanistic Change; Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley; Lehigh Valley Summerbridge; Mercy Special Learning Center; Minsi Trails Council; Monocacy Farms; New Bethany Ministries; Touchstone Theatre; and VNA of St. Luke’s Health Network.

Bethlehem Rotary President Peter Mickolay noted the increased demand on area food banks in 2020 due to the impact of COVID. Northeast Community Center Executive Director Paula Johnson said that the center’s food bank averaged providing assistance to 260 families per month and in some months helped over 600 families. She said that 47,000 pounds of food were provided in just the last six months, of the year. The funding will be used to digitalize operations and help with ordering and monitoring inventory.