Rotary Club's Ice Melt Fundraiser Cut Short by Warm Weather

Record-low snowfall in Colorado's Summit County melts the ice earlier than usual, impacting a key community fundraiser.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 12:44am

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A vast, atmospheric landscape painting depicting the smooth, reflective surface of Dillon Reservoir in Colorado, surrounded by hazy, indistinct mountains, conveying a sense of the overwhelming scale and power of the natural environment.The unusually warm winter in Summit County has melted the ice on Dillon Reservoir weeks earlier than normal, impacting a key community fundraiser.Dillon Today

The Rotary Club of Summit County in Colorado saw its annual Ice Melt fundraiser, which involves placing a tank on the frozen Dillon Reservoir and selling raffle tickets as people guess when it will fall through the ice, cut dramatically short this year due to record-low snowfall and warmer temperatures. The ice melted weeks earlier than usual, causing the Rotary Club to lose an estimated two-thirds or more of its expected ticket sales.

Why it matters

The Ice Melt fundraiser is a major source of funding for the Rotary Club's community programs in Summit County, including literacy efforts and direct financial assistance. With the loss of this revenue, the Rotary Club is facing challenges in supporting local residents, especially young people who have been impacted by reduced work hours at ski resorts due to the warm winter.

The details

Typically, the ice at Dillon Reservoir holds until mid-April, giving the Rotary Club ample time to sell raffle tickets. This year, however, the tank was placed on the ice on March 10 and fell through by March 25, weeks earlier than usual. Crews had to use a sled instead of a hovercraft to place the tank on the ice due to unstable conditions, and safety teams were on standby. Rotary Club President Judi LaPoint said most ticket sales usually come in the final weeks, when people feel confident guessing the melt date, but with that window gone, the group likely lost a significant portion of its expected sales.

  • The tank was placed on the ice on March 10, 2026.
  • The tank fell through the ice on March 25, 2026.

The players

Rotary Club of Summit County

A local community organization in Summit County, Colorado that organizes the annual Ice Melt fundraiser and supports a range of programs, from literacy efforts to direct financial assistance.

Judi LaPoint

The president of the Rotary Club of Summit County.

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What they’re saying

“It's a record setting year for us in terms of really not as many sales ... you know, just had a lot left to do.”

— Judi LaPoint, Rotary Club President

“We have noticed a big influx of people at those meals because the young people who were hired to work at the resorts, they're not getting full shifts. They weren't getting a full paycheck and that impacts their ability to buy food and to have good meals ... that's another safety net the rotary provides.”

— Judi LaPoint, Rotary Club President

What’s next

The Rotary Club will continue looking for ways to support Summit County residents navigating difficult economic stretches tied to the unusually warm winter, as well as other community needs.

The takeaway

The early melting of the ice at Dillon Reservoir due to record-low snowfall has significantly impacted a key community fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Summit County, just as the need for their services is increasing due to economic hardship caused by the warm winter. This highlights the cascading effects that climate change and extreme weather can have on local organizations and the communities they serve.