Raffle can be way to revitalize
Published 12:00 am Sunday, August 31, 2014
If I am blessed enough that you take time to read my ramblings, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. There are at least 500 other things you could be doing with your time.
But I have to warn you, in the next 10 months my repetitive theme might make you puke in your mouth (for some, even more than usual). I’ll sprinkle some fresh stuff in every now and then just to alter the taste, but for the most part my laser beams will be focused on The Great River Raffle (GRR) and its massive potential to boost Ironton’s growth.
I firmly believe in this raffle’s ability to help us as a community.
The Friends of Ironton, the very best friend Ironton has ever had, patterned the GRR after a similar drawing in West Virginia hosted by the Ellenboro Volunteer Fire Department. That raffle offers many of the same amazing prizes (huge sums of money, cars, motorcycles, campers, vacations, etc.) the GRR offers. Ellenboro has a population of approximately 375 people and recently held its 13th successful drawing.
Let that sink in. A town of 375 people manages, via a raffle, to raise nearly $500,000 each year to support its fire department. So, the overwhelming thought amongst the GRR steering committee (comprised of Friends volunteers) was the same as the mantra of the Boston Red Sox in 2004: “Why not us?”
Ironton’s fire department isn’t a volunteer organization, but the city’s behind-the-scenes helper, the Friends, is. And FOI is very interested in rebuilding The Ro-Na Theater as a popular community attraction. This process, nearly six years in the making, is slowly beginning to pay dividends…so much so that the nationally known rock group Saving Abel will perform in concert on Thursday, Oct. 9.
When was the last time a major act decided to stop in Ironton on a Thursday night?
Speaking of great tunes….the GRR steering committee envisions a major musical act performing after the June 2015 raffle. Every ticket holder at the drawing, winner or not, will be welcome to soak up the entertainment, which promises to be top-notch and available only to ticket holders and guests.
The GRR will begin at 1 p.m and last until 8 p.m. A winner will be drawn every five minutes for seven hours. Winners need not be present to claim prizes.
No prize is less than $500. Most prizes are worth thousands of dollars. $50,000 will go to one lucky winner. $25,000, $10,000, and $5,000 will go to others. And you might win a brand new Camaro, or a Harley Davidson, one of 10 major vacation packages, or a bunch of other awesome prizes.
Tickets for the GRR are $100 each and can be bought online at www.greatriverraffle.com or at The Pack Horse in downtown Ironton. Other area businesses will soon have tickets….and I’ll be sure to let you know about them in future ramblings.
Tickets for Saving Abel are only available online at www.ro-natheater.com. Get your order in quick for this one.
The Great River Raffle can help restore the Ro-Na in a hurry. A restored Ro-Na, with the capability of continuing entertaining acts such as Saving Abel, will bring more people to Ironton. More people equals more demand for downtown businesses. More business in Ironton equals more chances for prosperity.
This raffle is win-win for everyone who lives in Ironton and its surrounding communities.
The Friends dump all of their profits right back into this city.
Get a ticket, Ironton.
Billy Bruce is a freelance writer who lives in Pedro. He can be contacted at hollandkat3@aol.com.