PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Eight lucky winners will each walk away with a gift basket valued at over $1,000, and filled with merchandise and gift certificates from local merchants and organizations, through this year’s Presque Isle Rotary Club Great Big Give Back.
Rotarians are excited to announce they have increased the number of baskets by three over last year’s first-ever Great Big Give Back, giving community supporters who buy tickets in the coming weeks that many more chances to win!
Tickets for the drawing, which will be held on St. Patrick’s Day (Thursday, March 17, 2022), are $10 each and now available for purchase in Presque Isle at Graves Shop ‘n Save and the ACAP customer service center near Walmart, or from individual members of the Presque Isle Rotary Club. Community members can also request tickets through the Great Big Give Back link on the Presque Rotary Club website – www.presqueislerotary.org and a Rotarian will follow-up to arrange for purchase and distribution.
“It’s the generosity and giving spirit of the businesses, organizations and people of The County that made the Great Big Give Back a huge success in its first year. That giving spirit seems to have only grown as we head into the second year of this exciting new fundraiser for our club! The response has been phenomenal, and has resulted in Rotarians increasing the number of baskets being raffled,” said Chantal Pelletier, who along with fellow Presque Isle Rotarian Jamie Guerrette, are co-chairing the fundraising event.
With the items for the baskets secured, the two Rotary leaders, and their club membership of over 60 strong, are now turning their attention to selling tickets, looking to best their more than 2,500 sold in the successful inaugural year of the now annual project.
“The community response in ticket sales exceeded our expectations by more than 500 sold last year when we first introduced this new concept. I can’t wait to see what happens this year, now that people know what to expect, coupled with the fact that the project has expanded with more baskets being raffled, meaning more chances to win,” said Guerrette. “When we say baskets, it’s really understating the magnitude of what community members are buying tickets for a chance to win. Each of these baskets include some ‘big ticket’ items like a television, hot air balloon ride and other great gifts that range up to around $300 in value alone.”
In addition to the Great Big Give Back raffle of eight impressive baskets filled with both purchased and donated gift certificates and merchandise, the club has set aside items for a mini on-line auction. This is as they did last year, and intended to maintain a piece of the Club’s annual Rotary Auction, which, in a modified way, is now in its 74th year. More information on the auction will be released in the coming weeks in advance of the on-line launch on February 27.
The overall activity will also move forward with two other components focused on encouraging community members to give back by shopping local and volunteering time, as well as recognizing outstanding community volunteers.
Proceeds from this year’s fundraising event will support the Presque Isle Rotary Club Scholarship Fund, the Francis Malcolm Science Center, C-A-N-C-E-R (Caring Area Neighbors for Cancer Education & Recovery) and Aroostook Partners in the Arts.
To request to purchase tickets or for more details on the Great Big Give Back project, raffle, or the mini auction, including rules, visit www.presqueislerotary.org or PresqueIsleRotary on Facebook.
